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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $649 in Jayapura.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,019 in Jayapura.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,390 in Jayapura.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 154% more expensive than in Jayapura, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Jayapura is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$1.65 Rp 29.1K

633.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$9.60 Rp 169.2K

444.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$3.16 Rp 55.7K

244.94%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.11 Rp 37.2K

91.94%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.65 Rp 11.5K

164.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.55 Rp 9,695

150.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$3.32 Rp 58.5K

4.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$2.88 Rp 50.8K

101.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

49.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

182.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$0.82 Rp 14.4K

154.88%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$1.43 Rp 25.2K

103.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.98 Rp 123.1K

78.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.95 Rp 51.9K

242.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$7.87 Rp 138.7K

101.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.27 Rp 40.1K

45.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.27 Rp 22.4K

67.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.73 Rp 30.5K

26.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$1.20 Rp 21.1K

104.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$1.32 Rp 23.3K

65.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$2.03 Rp 35.8K

-6.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

131.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.45 Rp 7,890

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.75 Rp 48.5K

97.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$20.94 Rp 369.1K

-16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

23.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$3.04 Rp 53.7K

56.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.32 Rp 5,668

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.49 Rp 8,719

316.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.36 Rp 6,369

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$2.47 Rp 43.5K

141.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.75 Rp 13.2K

116.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$22.5K Rp 397.3M

1.22%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$33.0K Rp 581.1M

-19.11%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$71.8 Rp 1.3M

-9.10%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$4.86 Rp 85.6K

514.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$17.31 Rp 305.2K

111.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$21.78 Rp 384.1K

180.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$7.49 Rp 132.0K

256.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$2.67 Rp 47.0K

156.55%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$101 Rp 1.8M

346.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$8,129 Rp 143.3M

64.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$44.22 Rp 779.6K

69.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$25.99 Rp 458.3K

112.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$73.7 Rp 1.3M

54.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

74.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$247 Rp 4.4M

358.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$138 Rp 2.4M

415.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$521 Rp 9.2M

393.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$377 Rp 6.6M

248.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,058 Rp 18.7M

277.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$707 Rp 12.5M

196.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Jayapura: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $247 in Jayapura. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $10.00 in Jayapura for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $197 per month, with Jayapura cheaper across the board.

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 Jayapura: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jayapura is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 154% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $973 in Jayapura to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $247 in Jayapura. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $649 in Jayapura – a 154% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $649 in Jayapura versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jayapura but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jayapura the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jayapura is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Jayapura gentler on the wallet – expenses run 154% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.