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 $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $919 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,372 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,825 in Butterworth, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 81% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Butterworth is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.59 MYR 14.70

232.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$20.01 MYR 81.9

157.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$4.59 MYR 18.79

148.58%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.97 MYR 12.16

34.34%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.78 MYR 3.21

112.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.37 MYR 1.50

259.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$4.26 MYR 17.43

-18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$4.30 MYR 17.59

37.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$2.20 MYR 9.01

-14.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.05 MYR 4.31

209.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.69 MYR 6.91

27.81%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$2.22 MYR 9.09

30.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$13.33 MYR 54.6

-3.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.44 MYR 18.16

126.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$8.72 MYR 35.69

81.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.80 MYR 11.45

17.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.66 MYR 6.80

21.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.36 MYR 9.65

-6.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.42 MYR 5.79

66.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.11 MYR 4.54

84.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.14 MYR 4.68

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.11 MYR 4.53

45.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.54 MYR 2.21

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.44 MYR 18.16

22.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$19.28 MYR 78.9

-8.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.89 MYR 11.84

-28.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$4.03 MYR 16.49

16.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.66 MYR 2.70

-48.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$13.82 MYR 56.6

50.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.21 MYR 4.95

73.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.38 MYR 1.55

47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$4.78 MYR 19.58

21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.77 MYR 3.16

109.09%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$41.6K MYR 170.4K

-45.12%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$35.2K MYR 144.2K

-24.08%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$37.38 MYR 153

74.37%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$9.18 MYR 37.59

227.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$25.57 MYR 105

45.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$35.34 MYR 145

69.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$6.77 MYR 27.70

292.17%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.29 MYR 21.64

33.08%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$299 MYR 1,222

55.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$10.8K MYR 44.2K

22.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$61.3 MYR 251

23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$35.44 MYR 145

57.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$82.7 MYR 339

35.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$69.7 MYR 285

72.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$418 MYR 1,712

163.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$352 MYR 1,440

104.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$738 MYR 3,020

242.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$494 MYR 2,021

161.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$2,040 MYR 8,351

95.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$1,102 MYR 4,510

89.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

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 Butterworth: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $418 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $20.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $255 – 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: $1,660 in Mexico City, $919 in Butterworth – roughly 81% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,378 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 $1,660 in Mexico City and $919 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 51% 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 $919, than in Mexico City at $1,660. 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 $919 in Butterworth to $1,660 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.