Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Jakarta

For one person, living is cheaper in Jakarta: $793 a month against $1,561 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

77

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Jakarta
Learn more

Jakarta Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,561

/mo nomad

Jakarta

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$793

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Jakarta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Jakarta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,561 per month in Mexico City vs $793 in Jakarta, rent included.

Mexico City $1,561
Jakarta $793

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Mexico City vs $1,283 in Jakarta, rent included.

Mexico City $2,440
Jakarta $1,283

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Mexico City vs $1,772 in Jakarta, rent included.

Mexico City $3,319
Jakarta $1,772

Mexico City costs about 97% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Mexico City sits 16% above the global median, while Jakarta is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$202

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

322.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$891

$16.93 Rp 302.9K

189.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$204

$3.33 Rp 59.5K

237.24%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$68.4

$2.00 Rp 35.8K

88.00%

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

$1.65 MX$30.05

$0.43 Rp 7,775

283.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.27

$0.25 Rp 4,472

412.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$59.2

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

26.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$103

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

47.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.92

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

27.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$53.5

$1.09 Rp 19.4K

169.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$37.27

$0.91 Rp 16.2K

125.27%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$53.2

$1.77 Rp 31.7K

65.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$217

$9.22 Rp 164.9K

29.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$173

$3.11 Rp 55.6K

205.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$270

$7.78 Rp 139.1K

90.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$57.2

$2.87 Rp 51.4K

9.41%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.65

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

52.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.75

$2.50 Rp 44.6K

-16.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$40.35

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

59.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.47

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

49.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$34.14

$2.10 Rp 37.6K

-10.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.93

$0.94 Rp 16.8K

57.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.47

$0.51 Rp 9,105

164.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$98.4

$2.80 Rp 50.1K

93.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$307

$20.83 Rp 372.7K

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.09

$2.05 Rp 36.7K

-3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$78.7

$3.04 Rp 54.4K

42.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.27

$0.27 Rp 4,809

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$368

$11.86 Rp 212.1K

70.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$38.11

$0.50 Rp 8,982

320.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.65

$0.33 Rp 5,888

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$98.3

$3.42 Rp 61.2K

58.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.65

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

74.71%

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

$21.7K MX$395.3K

$27.8K Rp 496.8M

-21.75%

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

$24.8K MX$451.4K

$32.6K Rp 583.5M

-23.92%

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

$63.0 MX$1,145

$106 Rp 1.9M

-40.52%

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

$28.88 MX$525

$6.04 Rp 108.0K

378.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$617

$19.04 Rp 340.7K

78.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,015

$25.65 Rp 458.8K

117.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$453

$13.65 Rp 244.3K

82.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$123

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

105.78%

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

$428 MX$7,781

$153 Rp 2.7M

178.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$216.0K

$8,270 Rp 147.9M

43.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,274

$58.7 Rp 1.0M

19.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$977

$28.37 Rp 507.5K

89.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,997

$70.9 Rp 1.3M

54.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,096

$106 Rp 1.9M

8.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.3K

$370 Rp 6.6M

187.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.2K

$200 Rp 3.6M

234.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$43.3K

$1,155 Rp 20.7M

105.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.9K

$556 Rp 10.0M

126.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$67.6K

$3,023 Rp 54.1M

22.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.9K

$1,445 Rp 25.9M

36.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$18.1K

$449 Rp 8.0M

121.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$671 42.4%

Jakarta

$200 25.3% 70.1% $470

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$327 20.7%

Jakarta

$218 27.5% 33.4% $109

Eating Out

Mexico City

$207 13.1%

Jakarta

$78 9.9% 62.2% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$157 9.9%

Jakarta

$119 15% 24.4% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Jakarta

$131 16.5% 4.1% $5.2

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$69 4.4%

Jakarta

$32 4.1% 53.5% $37

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Jakarta

$15 1.9% 42.8% $11

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,062 in Mexico City versus $370 in Jakarta. 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 122% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $17.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $218 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇮🇩 Jakarta

🕒 Local time

19:15 7:15 PM

08:15 8:15 AM

13 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

11,337,563 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.5 USD

100 MXN = 4.9 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 18.19 MXN (100 MXN = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20.4 MXN (100 MXN = 4.9 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Jakarta 16,850 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Jakarta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 97% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,341 per month in Mexico City and $1,190 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $153 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Mexico City at $1,561. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $793 versus $1,561 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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.