Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Butterworth Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Butterworth

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $848 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,302 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,756 in Butterworth, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 71% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Butterworth is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.01 MYR 12.20

331.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.47 MYR 87.1

145.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.81 MYR 19.49

96.05%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.84 MYR 11.53

25.70%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.69 MYR 2.78

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.36 MYR 1.47

219.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$4.21 MYR 17.08

-25.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.34 MYR 17.60

11.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.89 MYR 7.68

-10.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.04 MYR 4.20

153.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.73 MYR 7.00

9.83%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.12 MYR 8.59

19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$14.32 MYR 58.1

-29.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.61 MYR 18.71

79.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.95 MYR 40.36

16.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.78 MYR 11.28

8.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.44 MYR 5.83

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.62 MYR 10.61

-21.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.45 MYR 5.88

42.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.18 MYR 4.80

74.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.21 MYR 4.92

79.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.95 MYR 3.84

47.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.45 MYR 1.83

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.25 MYR 17.25

0.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$19.51 MYR 79.1

-21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.72 MYR 11.03

-38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.42 MYR 13.86

7.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.70 MYR 2.83

-45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.97 MYR 48.55

59.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.68 MYR 2.75

102.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.50 MYR 2.05

-44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$4.82 MYR 19.53

12.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.50 MYR 2.01

156.00%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$33.2K MYR 134.7K

-42.85%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.6K MYR 112.0K

-15.07%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$39.38 MYR 160

4.16%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$10.27 MYR 41.64

162.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.38 MYR 103

16.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$36.37 MYR 147

43.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.93 MYR 24.03

342.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$5.08 MYR 20.59

21.65%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$240 MYR 971

78.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,304 MYR 25.6K

69.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$55.8 MYR 226

1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.30 MYR 115

58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$60.2 MYR 244

73.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$52.5 MYR 213

101.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$383 MYR 1,553

159.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$269 MYR 1,093

130.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$641 MYR 2,599

231.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$474 MYR 1,921

164.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,978 MYR 8,021

97.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$955 MYR 3,873

119.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.16

172.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $383 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $256 – making Butterworth the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Butterworth: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City, $848 in Butterworth – roughly 71% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,272 in Butterworth. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Butterworth, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $848 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 59% less in Butterworth. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Butterworth, where all-in costs run around $848, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Butterworth it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $848 in Butterworth to $1,447 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Butterworth. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.