Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kota Bharu Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kota Bharu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $710 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $1,067 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,423 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 134% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Kota Bharu is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$2.27 MYR 9.28

425.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$15.02 MYR 61.5

243.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$4.87 MYR 19.92

134.29%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.11 MYR 8.62

89.10%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.47 MYR 1.92

253.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.28 MYR 1.15

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.42 MYR 9.91

43.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$4.30 MYR 17.61

37.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.57 MYR 6.44

19.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.87 MYR 3.55

273.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.82 MYR 3.37

163.41%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.56 MYR 6.38

85.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$15.33 MYR 62.8

-16.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.98 MYR 12.21

237.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$6.59 MYR 26.99

140.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.45 MYR 10.01

34.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.49 MYR 6.11

34.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.33 MYR 9.53

-5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.09 MYR 4.46

116.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$0.93 MYR 3.82

120.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$0.84 MYR 3.44

126.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.78 MYR 3.17

106.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.48 MYR 1.98

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$3.40 MYR 13.94

60.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$21.50 MYR 88.0

-17.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.50 MYR 10.25

-17.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.61 MYR 14.76

29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.76 MYR 3.12

-55.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$12.12 MYR 49.63

71.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.21 MYR 4.96

73.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.50 MYR 2.06

12.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$3.78 MYR 15.49

53.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.52 MYR 2.14

209.62%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$31.5K MYR 128.8K

-27.40%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

-6.07%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$50.2 MYR 206

29.81%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$8.12 MYR 33.23

270.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$27.57 MYR 113

34.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$49.13 MYR 201

21.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.40 MYR 17.99

60.00%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$124 MYR 509

273.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$5,033 MYR 20.6K

163.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$54.6 MYR 223

38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$19.45 MYR 79.6

187.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$73.5 MYR 301

52.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$85.4 MYR 350

41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$247 MYR 1,012

346.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$122 MYR 500

489.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$695 MYR 2,843

264.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$218 MYR 891

494.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$291 MYR 1,189

256.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.43

155.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $247 in Kota Bharu. 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 257% 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 $15.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $227 – making Kota Bharu 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 Kota Bharu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 134% more than Kota Bharu, 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 $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $1,065 in Kota Bharu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 72% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $465 per month in Mexico City and $124 in Kota Bharu. 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 Kota Bharu, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Kota Bharu 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. Kota Bharu costs $710 versus $1,660 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 Kota Bharu. 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.