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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $825 in Jakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,356 in Jakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,888 in Jakarta, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 78% more than Jakarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Jakarta is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

340.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$18.68 Rp 336.9K

188.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.64 Rp 65.6K

158.79%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$2.17 Rp 39.2K

63.59%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.52 Rp 9,354

211.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.26 Rp 4,673

326.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

$2.72 Rp 49.0K

14.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

$4.34 Rp 78.2K

6.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

23.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

134.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

94.90%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$1.81 Rp 32.7K

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$6.57 Rp 118.5K

52.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.23 Rp 58.2K

150.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.78 Rp 140.3K

49.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.83 Rp 51.0K

4.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$2.19 Rp 39.6K

-8.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

36.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$1.79 Rp 32.3K

18.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

-13.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.46 Rp 8,290

145.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$3.09 Rp 55.7K

38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$21.09 Rp 380.3K

-26.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

$2.21 Rp 39.9K

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

$3.13 Rp 56.5K

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.23 Rp 4,163

65.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$12.12 Rp 218.5K

58.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

137.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.34 Rp 6,206

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$3.05 Rp 55.0K

78.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.80 Rp 14.5K

62.50%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$31.3K Rp 564.2M

-40.27%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$32.6K Rp 588.7M

-29.14%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$89.4 Rp 1.6M

-54.30%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$6.44 Rp 116.2K

316.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$27.04 Rp 487.6K

10.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$29.82 Rp 537.8K

74.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$12.45 Rp 224.5K

115.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.05 Rp 55.1K

106.56%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$167 Rp 3.0M

160.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$9,722 Rp 175.3M

7.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$57.1 Rp 1.0M

-0.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$32.94 Rp 594.0K

34.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$83.9 Rp 1.5M

22.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$88.0 Rp 1.6M

19.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$385 Rp 6.9M

165.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$238 Rp 4.3M

164.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$1,152 Rp 20.8M

85.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$646 Rp 11.7M

92.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$2,787 Rp 50.3M

40.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,422 Rp 25.6M

45.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$453 Rp 8.2M

146.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.59

18.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $385 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 146% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $215 – making Jakarta 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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 78% more than Jakarta, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,237 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 $436 per month in Mexico City and $167 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $825, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $825 versus $1,467 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.