Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Binjai Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Binjai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $630 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $999 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,368 in Binjai.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 163% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Binjai is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

537.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$13.39 Rp 237.1K

285.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.68 Rp 65.1K

210.05%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

166.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.42 Rp 7,358

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.21 Rp 3,645

533.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.50 Rp 44.3K

38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.75 Rp 66.3K

57.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

63.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

200.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.29 Rp 22.9K

124.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.58 Rp 116.5K

95.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.74 Rp 48.6K

266.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.08 Rp 143.1K

96.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.15 Rp 38.0K

53.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.40 Rp 24.8K

43.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

49.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.31 Rp 23.2K

80.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.22 Rp 21.6K

68.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

8.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.85 Rp 15.1K

89.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.37 Rp 6,537

278.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.83 Rp 50.1K

92.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$21.70 Rp 384.2K

-18.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.87 Rp 33.1K

10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.64 Rp 46.7K

77.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.25 Rp 4,483

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.56 Rp 9,978

275.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.30 Rp 5,244

86.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.66 Rp 47.1K

118.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

106.41%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.2K Rp 464.1M

-12.86%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$27.8K Rp 491.5M

-3.63%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$69.3 Rp 1.2M

-6.00%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.25 Rp 75.3K

608.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.66 Rp 348.1K

89.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$19.67 Rp 348.2K

203.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.88 Rp 139.6K

236.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.16 Rp 55.9K

122.78%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$92.1 Rp 1.6M

404.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,718 Rp 136.7M

72.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$39.81 Rp 704.9K

90.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$25.09 Rp 444.2K

123.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$70.1 Rp 1.2M

59.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$64.3 Rp 1.1M

87.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$248 Rp 4.4M

345.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$141 Rp 2.5M

410.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$645 Rp 11.4M

292.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$381 Rp 6.7M

239.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,248 Rp 22.1M

219.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$579 Rp 10.2M

261.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Binjai: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $248 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $194 per month, with Binjai 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 Binjai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Binjai is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $945 in Binjai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $248 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $630 in Binjai – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Binjai versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Binjai but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Binjai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Binjai is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Binjai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.