Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bukit Mertajam Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Bukit Mertajam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $583 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $933 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,283 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 185% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Bukit Mertajam is 57% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.47 MYR 14.20

243.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$21.02 MYR 86.0

145.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$4.90 MYR 20.04

132.86%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.67 MYR 10.91

49.44%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.82 MYR 3.36

102.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.32 MYR 1.32

315.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.43 MYR 9.96

42.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$4.43 MYR 18.14

33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$2.16 MYR 8.83

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.07 MYR 4.40

203.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.75 MYR 7.17

23.43%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.58 MYR 10.55

12.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$15.63 MYR 64.0

-17.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.86 MYR 19.89

106.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$10.02 MYR 41.02

58.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.33 MYR 9.55

41.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.49 MYR 6.10

34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.25 MYR 9.20

-2.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.20 MYR 4.90

96.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.86 MYR 3.54

138.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.80 MYR 3.26

137.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.71 MYR 2.91

126.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.63 MYR 2.57

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.45 MYR 18.19

22.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$18.98 MYR 77.7

-7.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.80 MYR 15.54

23.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.22 MYR 4.98

72.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.50 MYR 2.05

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$4.99 MYR 20.40

16.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.82 MYR 3.34

96.34%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$42.3K MYR 173.2K

-46.01%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$35.2K MYR 144.0K

-23.96%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$50.8 MYR 208

28.26%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$8.67 MYR 35.49

247.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$31.31 MYR 128

18.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.57 MYR 18.72

54.05%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$242 MYR 989

92.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$4,890 MYR 20.0K

171.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$53.7 MYR 220

41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$34.48 MYR 141

62.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$72.5 MYR 297

54.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$97.2 MYR 398

24.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$555 MYR 2,270

87.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.2

169.05%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 87% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Bukit Mertajam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $259 per month, with Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Bukit Mertajam differ by about 185% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $583 including rent). Bukit Mertajam is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% 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 $583 in Bukit Mertajam – a 185% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $583 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bukit Mertajam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam 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 Bukit Mertajam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 185% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.