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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $850 in Butterworth, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,299 in Butterworth, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,747 in Butterworth, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 75% more than Butterworth, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% 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$227

$2.97 MYR 11.75

337.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$21.48 MYR 84.8

147.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.72 MYR 18.65

105.93%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.83 MYR 11.18

32.51%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.68 MYR 2.68

130.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.33 MYR 1.32

242.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$4.13 MYR 16.31

-23.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$4.45 MYR 17.56

4.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.88 MYR 7.42

-13.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.99 MYR 3.89

173.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.72 MYR 6.80

9.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.14 MYR 8.44

17.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$14.48 MYR 57.2

-30.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.60 MYR 18.16

80.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$9.41 MYR 37.18

26.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.90 MYR 11.47

-1.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.45 MYR 5.73

20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.68 MYR 10.60

-22.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.47 MYR 5.80

34.01%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.15 MYR 4.53

87.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.21 MYR 4.80

80.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.92 MYR 3.62

51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.48 MYR 1.91

133.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$4.33 MYR 17.09

-3.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$18.95 MYR 74.9

-24.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$2.61 MYR 10.30

-32.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$3.35 MYR 13.23

9.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.69 MYR 2.74

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$11.96 MYR 47.24

56.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.73 MYR 2.89

90.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-43.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.80 MYR 18.94

12.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.47 MYR 1.84

187.23%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$33.3K MYR 131.7K

-43.35%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$27.7K MYR 109.4K

-16.42%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$39.29 MYR 155

3.89%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$9.99 MYR 39.46

175.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$25.55 MYR 101

18.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$36.46 MYR 144

46.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$6.06 MYR 23.92

333.99%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$5.06 MYR 19.99

23.91%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$240 MYR 950

81.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$6,261 MYR 24.7K

67.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$54.2 MYR 214

4.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$29.44 MYR 116

52.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$60.7 MYR 240

69.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$53.3 MYR 211

102.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$392 MYR 1,549

154.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$266 MYR 1,052

132.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$644 MYR 2,542

232.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$465 MYR 1,835

165.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,268 MYR 5,010

204.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,031 MYR 4,073

126.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$991 MYR 3,915

7.68%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Butterworth: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $392 in Butterworth. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $21.00 in Butterworth. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $253 – 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: $1,484 in Mexico City, $850 in Butterworth – roughly 75% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,275 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 $1,484 in Mexico City and $850 in Butterworth. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 56% 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 $850, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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 $850 in Butterworth to $1,484 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.