Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bayan Lepas Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bayan Lepas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $812 in Bayan Lepas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,327 in Bayan Lepas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,842 in Bayan Lepas.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than Bayan Lepas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Bayan Lepas is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.52 MYR 14.29

268.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$18.98 MYR 77.0

177.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.20 MYR 17.03

124.52%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.77 MYR 11.24

28.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.81 MYR 3.29

98.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.53 MYR 2.17

116.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$4.84 MYR 19.61

-34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.80 MYR 19.45

1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.47 MYR 10.01

-31.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.90 MYR 3.64

193.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.34 MYR 5.43

41.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.72 MYR 6.97

47.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$14.85 MYR 60.2

-32.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.64 MYR 18.82

78.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$6.72 MYR 27.26

72.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.92 MYR 11.84

3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.61 MYR 6.51

6.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-31.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.18 MYR 4.81

74.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.98 MYR 3.98

110.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.05 MYR 4.26

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.61 MYR 2.48

129.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.65 MYR 2.62

72.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.90 MYR 19.85

-12.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$20.11 MYR 81.6

-23.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.78 MYR 11.27

-39.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.31 MYR 5.31

181.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.66 MYR 2.68

-42.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$14.08 MYR 57.1

35.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.57 MYR 6.35

-12.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.03 MYR 4.18

-72.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.06 MYR 24.58

-10.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.58 MYR 2.34

120.69%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$35.6K MYR 144.4K

-46.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$29.5K MYR 119.8K

-20.60%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$41.02 MX$704

$34.16 MYR 139

20.08%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$26.92 MX$462

$11.40 MYR 46.22

136.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$29.97 MYR 122

-0.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$31.71 MYR 129

65.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$4.55 MYR 18.46

476.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.04 MYR 16.38

52.97%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$427 MX$7,331

$237 MYR 962

80.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,168 MYR 29.1K

49.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$37.65 MYR 153

50.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$26.14 MYR 106

71.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$61.3 MYR 249

70.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$78.6 MYR 319

34.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$192 MYR 779

417.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$211 MYR 857

193.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$466 MYR 1,889

356.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$565 MYR 2,292

121.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$999 MYR 4,053

10.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.3

243.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Bayan Lepas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $192 in Bayan Lepas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 11% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Bayan Lepas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $248 per month, with Bayan Lepas cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Mexico City vs Bayan Lepas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Bayan Lepas differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $812 including rent). Bayan Lepas is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 11% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $192 in Bayan Lepas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Bayan Lepas runs roughly 35% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $237 in Bayan Lepas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $812 in Bayan Lepas versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bayan Lepas but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bayan Lepas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Bayan Lepas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Bayan Lepas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.