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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $508 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $755 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,001 in Karawang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 185% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Karawang is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

922.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$8.97 Rp 160.7K

486.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.36 Rp 60.3K

180.65%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

146.21%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.47 Rp 8,442

242.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.24 Rp 4,314

379.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.47 Rp 62.2K

-9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.46 Rp 62.0K

40.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

40.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

149.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

113.48%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

67.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

237.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

178.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.65 Rp 137.0K

51.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

54.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

42.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

47.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.53 Rp 9,546

288.68%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

100.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.66 Rp 29.7K

30.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.96 Rp 17.2K

45.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.42 Rp 7,530

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.61 Rp 46.8K

64.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$21.71 Rp 388.9K

-29.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.10 Rp 37.5K

-20.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.46 Rp 61.9K

6.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

-46.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$10.08 Rp 180.6K

89.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.71 Rp 12.8K

94.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

-63.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.19 Rp 21.4K

355.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

50.59%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$24.7K Rp 442.6M

-23.17%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$25.8K Rp 462.5M

-9.12%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$43.12 Rp 772.6K

-4.87%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.55 Rp 81.5K

491.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$13.66 Rp 244.7K

117.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$22.04 Rp 394.9K

137.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$15.13 Rp 271.1K

73.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

106.00%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$48.25 Rp 864.4K

785.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,474 Rp 133.9M

43.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$18.29 Rp 327.6K

210.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.36 Rp 543.9K

47.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$52.8 Rp 945.6K

98.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$54.4 Rp 974.5K

94.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$154 Rp 2.8M

546.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

700.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$245 Rp 4.4M

768.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$123 Rp 2.2M

920.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,141 Rp 20.4M

241.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$643 Rp 11.5M

225.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$408 Rp 7.3M

171.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karawang: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $154 in Karawang. 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 171% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $9.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $181 – making Karawang 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 Karawang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 185% more than Karawang, 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 $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $763 in Karawang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $9.00 in Karawang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $508 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $508, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Karawang 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. Karawang costs $508 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Karawang. 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.