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 $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $838 in Cheras, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,278 in Cheras, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,719 in Cheras, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 73% more than Cheras, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Cheras is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$225

$3.48 MYR 14.34

272.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$908

$18.98 MYR 78.1

175.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$168

$4.67 MYR 19.24

107.49%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.1

$2.89 MYR 11.89

29.76%

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

$1.56 MX$27.14

$0.80 MYR 3.28

95.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.10

$0.48 MYR 1.98

141.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$56.3

$4.57 MYR 18.82

-29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$85.0

$6.41 MYR 26.38

-23.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.54

$1.88 MYR 7.72

-9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$46.30

$1.01 MYR 4.16

164.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.77

$1.24 MYR 5.09

52.42%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.74

$2.09 MYR 8.61

20.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$174

$15.51 MYR 63.8

-35.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$148

$3.54 MYR 14.56

140.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$207

$7.55 MYR 31.06

58.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.6

$2.72 MYR 11.20

9.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.14

$1.68 MYR 6.91

6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.69

$2.56 MYR 10.55

-21.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.03

$1.22 MYR 5.01

60.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.53

$1.52 MYR 6.25

42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.38

$1.37 MYR 5.65

65.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.34

$0.88 MYR 3.64

59.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.34

$0.53 MYR 2.18

109.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.9

$4.29 MYR 17.66

-2.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$287

$14.01 MYR 57.6

18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.19

$2.73 MYR 11.23

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.84 MYR 15.80

-6.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.49 MYR 2.03

-20.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$333

$11.91 MYR 49.02

61.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.98

$1.01 MYR 4.16

36.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.24

$0.98 MYR 4.04

-69.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$93.5

$9.50 MYR 39.09

-43.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.32

$0.47 MYR 1.92

174.47%

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

$18.9K MX$327.9K

$48.8K MYR 200.9K

-61.31%

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

$23.8K MX$413.0K

$31.6K MYR 129.9K

-24.63%

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

$39.86 MX$692

$40.20 MYR 165

-0.85%

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

$27.83 MX$483

$9.05 MYR 37.25

207.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$517

$30.66 MYR 126

-2.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$902

$40.28 MYR 166

29.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$455

$5.72 MYR 23.54

358.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$5.07 MYR 20.87

23.67%

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

$433 MX$7,508

$189 MYR 778

128.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.9K

$7,017 MYR 28.9K

50.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$989

$65.1 MYR 268

-12.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$787

$34.00 MYR 140

33.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,768

$72.2 MYR 297

41.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,883

$49.16 MYR 202

120.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.2K

$375 MYR 1,543

165.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.7K

$233 MYR 958

164.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$36.2K

$657 MYR 2,704

217.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.8K

$430 MYR 1,771

191.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$36.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.6K

$1,196 MYR 4,920

-5.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Cheras: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $375 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 6% 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 $19.00 in Cheras. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $236 – 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 73%, 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,257 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 24% 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 $19.00 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 $838, than in Mexico City at $1,448. 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.