Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kuala Lipis Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kuala Lipis

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $864 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,311 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,757 in Kuala Lipis, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 70% more than Kuala Lipis, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Kuala Lipis is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.57 MYR 10.19

412.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$23.19 MYR 92.0

132.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.69 MYR 14.62

155.28%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.69 MYR 6.71

110.06%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.34 MYR 1.33

376.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.36 MYR 1.44

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$4.22 MYR 16.74

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$5.27 MYR 20.89

-12.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.28 MYR 5.07

32.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.58 MYR 2.30

368.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.68 MYR 2.70

180.88%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.37 MYR 5.43

85.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$22.60 MYR 89.6

-55.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.55 MYR 10.10

217.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.52 MYR 29.81

54.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$4.00 MYR 15.84

-25.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.78 MYR 7.07

1.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$3.45 MYR 13.68

-41.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$2.61 MYR 10.34

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.75 MYR 6.94

21.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.67 MYR 2.64

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.07 MYR 4.24

30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.45 MYR 1.78

151.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$4.29 MYR 17.01

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$20.51 MYR 81.3

-24.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$4.44 MYR 17.59

-60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$5.43 MYR 21.53

-33.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.68 MYR 2.68

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$11.62 MYR 46.07

65.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.17 MYR 4.62

17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.13 MYR 4.48

-75.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$4.27 MYR 16.95

27.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.50 MYR 1.99

160.00%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$43.3K MYR 171.7K

-56.84%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$13.0K MYR 51.6K

77.59%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$28.80 MYR 114

41.87%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$9.45 MYR 37.49

183.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$20.96 MYR 83.1

42.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$37.45 MYR 149

38.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$5.88 MYR 23.29

356.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$5.79 MYR 22.97

8.81%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$118 MYR 468

269.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$4,362 MYR 17.3K

138.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$23.51 MYR 93.2

140.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$27.45 MYR 109

61.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$74.4 MYR 295

38.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$71.9 MYR 285

46.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$385 MYR 1,528

165.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$269 MYR 1,065

134.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$638 MYR 2,528

235.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$471 MYR 1,869

163.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,853 MYR 7,347

110.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$946 MYR 3,753

118.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$450 MYR 1,783

148.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.96

186.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kuala Lipis: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $385 in Kuala Lipis. 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 148% 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 $23.00 in Kuala Lipis. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $278 – making Kuala Lipis 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 Kuala Lipis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 70%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,296 in Kuala Lipis. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kuala Lipis, 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $864 in Kuala Lipis. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Kuala Lipis. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuala Lipis, where all-in costs run around $864, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Kuala Lipis it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuala Lipis – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Kuala Lipis. 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.