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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $656 in Binjai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,018 in Binjai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,380 in Binjai.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 126% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$227

$1.57 Rp 27.2K

726.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$12.22 Rp 211.8K

334.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.47 Rp 60.1K

180.12%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.67 Rp 28.9K

124.55%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.52 Rp 8,991

201.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.26 Rp 4,492

334.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.51 Rp 43.6K

26.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$3.56 Rp 61.6K

30.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.22 Rp 21.2K

32.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$1.13 Rp 19.6K

139.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.88 Rp 15.2K

113.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.53 Rp 26.4K

64.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.10 Rp 140.5K

24.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.14 Rp 54.4K

164.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$8.11 Rp 140.5K

47.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.36 Rp 40.9K

21.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.45 Rp 25.1K

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.82 Rp 31.5K

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.56 Rp 27.0K

26.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.36 Rp 23.6K

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.94 Rp 33.6K

12.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.92 Rp 15.9K

51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.45 Rp 7,726

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.51 Rp 43.4K

67.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$20.98 Rp 363.6K

-32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.01 Rp 34.9K

-12.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.08 Rp 53.3K

19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.32 Rp 5,576

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$9.64 Rp 167.1K

93.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.57 Rp 9,952

143.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.34 Rp 5,942

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$2.95 Rp 51.2K

83.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

60.71%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$24.9K Rp 432.0M

-24.25%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$27.7K Rp 480.8M

-16.54%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$70.9 Rp 1.2M

-42.43%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$4.37 Rp 75.7K

529.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$22.73 Rp 394.0K

33.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$22.86 Rp 396.3K

133.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$6.12 Rp 106.0K

329.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.04 Rp 52.7K

106.25%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$94.8 Rp 1.6M

360.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$7,443 Rp 129.0M

40.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$41.01 Rp 710.7K

38.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$30.78 Rp 533.4K

45.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$66.6 Rp 1.2M

54.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$73.3 Rp 1.3M

47.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$255 Rp 4.4M

292.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$158 Rp 2.7M

292.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$575 Rp 10.0M

271.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$329 Rp 5.7M

275.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,258 Rp 21.8M

207.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$858 Rp 14.9M

171.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Binjai: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $255 in Binjai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Binjai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $208 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 $2,225 in Mexico City and $985 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $255 in Binjai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $656 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 94% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $656 in Binjai versus $1,484 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.