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 $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $448 in Karawang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $815 in Karawang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $1,182 in Karawang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 275% more than Karawang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 23% above the global median, while Karawang is 67% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$1.42 Rp 25.3K

733.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$11.29 Rp 200.6K

361.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$3.45 Rp 61.4K

215.07%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.51 Rp 26.9K

166.89%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.40 Rp 7,183

327.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.20 Rp 3,550

570.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.01 Rp 53.5K

12.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$3.05 Rp 54.2K

88.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

67.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.98 Rp 17.5K

223.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

138.37%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.43 Rp 25.4K

110.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$2.74 Rp 48.7K

360.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$2.82 Rp 50.1K

252.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$7.76 Rp 137.9K

106.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

81.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.09 Rp 19.5K

88.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

68.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$0.51 Rp 9,104

390.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

127.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.54 Rp 27.3K

21.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.65 Rp 11.6K

141.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.43 Rp 7,709

223.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.67 Rp 47.5K

101.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$22.86 Rp 406.3K

-21.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.82 Rp 32.4K

10.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$3.17 Rp 56.4K

50.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.59 Rp 10.5K

-38.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

136.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.55 Rp 9,819

1.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$1.15 Rp 20.4K

406.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.79 Rp 14.1K

94.94%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$21.4K Rp 381.2M

4.72%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$29.4K Rp 522.4M

-9.92%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$33.67 Rp 598.5K

95.93%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$4.27 Rp 76.0K

625.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$12.52 Rp 222.5K

189.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$20.05 Rp 356.4K

186.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$8.54 Rp 151.8K

213.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

151.94%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$43.30 Rp 769.6K

954.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$8,440 Rp 150.0M

56.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$16.60 Rp 295.0K

356.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$28.01 Rp 497.8K

93.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$49.61 Rp 881.7K

134.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$48.89 Rp 869.0K

148.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$139 Rp 2.5M

726.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$69.9 Rp 1.2M

937.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$551 Rp 9.8M

353.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$366 Rp 6.5M

263.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,171 Rp 20.8M

232.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$696 Rp 12.4M

208.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$404 Rp 7.2M

164.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

11.38

-0.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Karawang: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $139 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 164% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $11.00 in Karawang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $344 vs $174 – 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 275% more than Karawang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $672 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,682 in Mexico City and $448 in Karawang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Mexico City and $43.30 in Karawang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Karawang, where all-in costs run around $448, than in Mexico City at $1,682. 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 $448 versus $1,682 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.