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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $655 in Bukit Mertajam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,225 in Bukit Mertajam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,794 in Bukit Mertajam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 122% more expensive than in Bukit Mertajam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Bukit Mertajam is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$1.87 MYR 7.63

598.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$19.80 MYR 81.0

171.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.80 MYR 15.54

154.74%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.24 MYR 9.16

66.96%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.69 MYR 2.84

134.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.36 MYR 1.49

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.12 MYR 12.77

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$4.81 MYR 19.66

-1.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.61 MYR 6.61

2.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.13 MYR 4.63

143.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.61 MYR 2.49

206.56%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.91 MYR 7.82

30.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$21.95 MYR 89.8

-53.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.98 MYR 20.36

65.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$10.65 MYR 43.57

10.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.89 MYR 15.92

-22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.78 MYR 7.27

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$3.33 MYR 13.63

-39.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.52 MYR 10.32

-20.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.75 MYR 7.17

18.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.04 MYR 4.23

118.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.08 MYR 4.40

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.34 MYR 1.39

217.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$4.30 MYR 17.60

1.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$19.15 MYR 78.3

-11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$4.38 MYR 17.93

-60.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.60 MYR 10.65

37.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.69 MYR 2.82

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$11.71 MYR 47.90

59.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.19 MYR 4.89

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.14 MYR 4.65

-75.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.42 MYR 18.06

18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.46 MYR 1.88

191.30%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$43.4K MYR 177.5K

-55.27%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$31.8K MYR 130.1K

-25.09%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$27.01 MYR 110

50.65%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$9.95 MYR 40.71

170.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$28.88 MYR 118

5.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$37.45 MYR 153

40.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.95 MYR 24.35

347.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.19 MYR 17.16

55.37%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$116 MYR 474

269.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,297 MYR 17.6K

144.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$11.84 MYR 48.44

383.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$64.0 MYR 262

-28.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$23.39 MYR 95.7

344.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$78.2 MYR 320

37.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$387 MYR 1,584

159.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$57.9 MYR 237

974.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$649 MYR 2,655

224.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$478 MYR 1,956

154.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$554 MYR 2,265

87.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.96

186.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Bukit Mertajam: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $387 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $20.00 in Bukit Mertajam. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $297, with Mexico City cheaper for home cooking.

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 122% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $655 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $387 in Bukit Mertajam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bukit Mertajam – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $655 in Bukit Mertajam – a 122% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $655 in Bukit Mertajam versus $1,456 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 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.