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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $674 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,363 in Binjai.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 115% more expensive than Binjai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Binjai is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.53 Rp 27.3K

748.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$12.52 Rp 224.3K

320.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.39 Rp 60.8K

178.17%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

113.77%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.55 Rp 9,916

192.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.28 Rp 5,036

310.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

25.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.51 Rp 62.9K

38.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.23 Rp 22.1K

38.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.13 Rp 20.3K

133.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.89 Rp 16.0K

113.48%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

68.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.34 Rp 149.5K

20.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.25 Rp 58.3K

155.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.93 Rp 142.1K

45.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

27.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.46 Rp 26.1K

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.89 Rp 33.9K

8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

56.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

15.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.41 Rp 7,380

173.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.52 Rp 45.2K

70.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$20.24 Rp 362.6K

-23.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.08 Rp 37.3K

-19.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.06 Rp 54.8K

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.29 Rp 5,278

31.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$9.98 Rp 178.8K

90.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

146.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.35 Rp 6,252

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.97 Rp 53.1K

82.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

54.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$24.4K Rp 437.2M

-22.22%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.8K Rp 497.3M

-15.47%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

-40.24%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

523.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.56 Rp 404.3K

31.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.96 Rp 411.4K

127.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.13 Rp 109.9K

327.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

97.44%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$95.2 Rp 1.7M

348.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,473 Rp 133.9M

43.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$40.89 Rp 732.6K

38.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.93 Rp 554.2K

44.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$66.8 Rp 1.2M

56.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$258 Rp 4.6M

286.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$160 Rp 2.9M

288.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$577 Rp 10.3M

268.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$339 Rp 6.1M

269.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,189 Rp 21.3M

228.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$611 Rp 10.9M

242.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Binjai: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $258 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $13.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $207 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 115% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,011 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $258 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $674 in Binjai – a 115% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Binjai runs roughly 91% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $674 in Binjai versus $1,447 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 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.