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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $661 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,134 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,608 in Kota Bharu, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 123% more than Kota Bharu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Kota Bharu is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.76 MYR 7.18

646.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$20.83 MYR 85.0

156.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$4.34 MYR 17.74

114.98%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.41 MYR 9.85

53.53%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.49 MYR 1.98

226.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.25 MYR 1.02

348.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$4.33 MYR 17.68

-27.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.13 MYR 16.88

17.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.50 MYR 6.14

10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.81 MYR 3.29

234.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.84 MYR 3.42

127.38%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.55 MYR 6.31

67.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$15.22 MYR 62.2

-35.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.84 MYR 11.60

196.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$6.22 MYR 25.40

91.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.45 MYR 5.92

103.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.38 MYR 5.64

26.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.42 MYR 5.80

43.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.91 MYR 3.73

126.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.78 MYR 3.18

175.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.20 MYR 4.91

88.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.90 MYR 3.69

54.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.43 MYR 1.77

160.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$3.05 MYR 12.47

38.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$21.66 MYR 88.4

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.40 MYR 5.70

22.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.40 MYR 13.87

6.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-52.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$11.75 MYR 47.99

64.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.74 MYR 3.01

86.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.54 MYR 2.19

-48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$3.59 MYR 14.68

47.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.49 MYR 2.00

177.55%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$31.1K MYR 127.1K

-38.66%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.8K MYR 113.4K

-14.99%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$38.50 MYR 157

5.27%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$8.40 MYR 34.31

225.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$26.20 MYR 107

15.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$36.55 MYR 149

42.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$5.99 MYR 24.46

342.07%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.30 MYR 17.57

43.95%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$120 MYR 490

253.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,138 MYR 25.1K

74.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$52.7 MYR 215

10.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$19.22 MYR 78.5

131.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$60.5 MYR 247

71.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$53.6 MYR 219

102.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$256 MYR 1,045

296.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$141 MYR 574

342.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$856 MYR 3,494

147.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$477 MYR 1,948

156.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$290 MYR 1,183

263.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.16

172.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Kota Bharu: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $256 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 263% 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 $21.00 in Kota Bharu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $208 – 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 123% 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $991 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 64% less in Kota Bharu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $425 per month in Mexico City and $120 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 $661, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $661 versus $1,472 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.