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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $1,143 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,587 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $2,030 in Cheras, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 45% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Cheras is 16% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.82 MYR 15.58

212.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$25.02 MYR 102

106.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.90 MYR 19.99

132.86%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.09 MYR 12.63

29.13%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.88 MYR 3.60

88.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.52 MYR 2.11

155.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$4.54 MYR 18.52

-23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$6.47 MYR 26.41

-8.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.96 MYR 8.01

-4.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.05 MYR 4.28

209.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.50 MYR 6.11

44.00%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.77 MYR 7.22

63.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$18.37 MYR 75.0

-29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.49 MYR 18.32

123.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.59 MYR 43.25

49.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.42 MYR 13.97

-3.80%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.95 MYR 7.94

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.76 MYR 11.26

-20.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.62 MYR 6.60

45.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$2.19 MYR 8.96

-6.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.72 MYR 7.03

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.34 MYR 5.49

20.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.55 MYR 2.26

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.32 MYR 17.65

26.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$14.14 MYR 57.7

24.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.79 MYR 11.39

-26.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.01 MYR 12.30

55.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-53.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$12.17 MYR 49.70

70.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.27 MYR 5.19

65.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.36 MYR 1.47

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$9.54 MYR 38.93

-39.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.79 MYR 3.22

103.80%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$42.1K MYR 171.7K

-45.68%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$34.3K MYR 139.8K

-21.90%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$49.68 MYR 203

31.20%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$11.03 MYR 45.02

172.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$28.11 MYR 115

32.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$52.9 MYR 216

12.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$6.35 MYR 25.93

318.11%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.89 MYR 19.97

43.97%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$162 MYR 661

186.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$4,441 MYR 18.1K

198.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$65.0 MYR 265

16.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$30.35 MYR 124

84.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$81.5 MYR 333

37.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$86.3 MYR 352

39.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$413 MYR 1,687

166.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$466 MYR 1,904

54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$689 MYR 2,814

267.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$486 MYR 1,984

166.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,286 MYR 9,332

74.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,083 MYR 4,423

92.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,210 MYR 4,940

-14.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.06

178.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cheras: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $413 in Cheras. 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 17% higher in Cheras, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $271 – making Cheras 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 Cheras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,714 in Cheras. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 in Cheras. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Cheras, where all-in costs run around $1,143, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Cheras it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Cheras – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Cheras. 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.