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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $653 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,019 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,385 in Binjai.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 126% more expensive than in Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Binjai is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

731.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$12.51 Rp 225.9K

327.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.47 Rp 62.6K

168.88%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

124.24%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.28 Rp 5,074

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.52 Rp 45.5K

24.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.45 Rp 62.4K

40.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

41.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.12 Rp 20.3K

141.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

119.54%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.60 Rp 29.0K

61.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.16 Rp 147.3K

20.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.25 Rp 58.7K

159.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.07 Rp 145.7K

47.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.42 Rp 43.6K

21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

16.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.87 Rp 33.7K

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

38.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

55.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.89 Rp 34.2K

19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.89 Rp 16.1K

56.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.45 Rp 8,081

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

70.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$21.96 Rp 396.5K

-20.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

-15.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.29 Rp 5,319

20.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$10.06 Rp 181.6K

92.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.57 Rp 10.3K

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.34 Rp 6,202

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

84.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

65.85%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$25.0K Rp 451.5M

-23.62%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.6K Rp 498.8M

-14.56%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$69.5 Rp 1.3M

-41.70%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$4.37 Rp 78.9K

526.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$22.87 Rp 412.8K

32.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$23.23 Rp 419.3K

124.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$5.99 Rp 108.1K

342.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.08 Rp 55.6K

100.97%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$94.9 Rp 1.7M

347.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,692 Rp 138.9M

39.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$41.13 Rp 742.5K

41.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$30.39 Rp 548.7K

46.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$66.1 Rp 1.2M

56.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

47.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$253 Rp 4.6M

300.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$159 Rp 2.9M

292.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$581 Rp 10.5M

264.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$330 Rp 6.0M

270.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

271.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$715 Rp 12.9M

195.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Binjai: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $253 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $211 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 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $979 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $253 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $653 in Binjai – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 92% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $653 in Binjai versus $1,472 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 126% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.