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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $696 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,142 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,588 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 109% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Kuala Terengganu is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$2.41 MYR 9.87

442.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$22.12 MYR 90.5

142.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.58 MYR 18.72

111.35%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.92 MYR 11.96

28.08%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.48 MYR 1.96

237.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.27 MYR 1.11

329.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.60 MYR 14.71

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$5.00 MYR 20.45

-5.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.55 MYR 6.33

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.96 MYR 3.91

186.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.31 MYR 5.35

42.75%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.12 MYR 8.67

17.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$15.02 MYR 61.4

-32.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.43 MYR 18.12

86.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$9.49 MYR 38.80

24.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.90 MYR 11.85

3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.50 MYR 6.15

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$2.52 MYR 10.31

-20.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.42 MYR 5.82

40.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.18 MYR 4.82

76.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.27 MYR 5.20

78.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$1.03 MYR 4.22

41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.52 MYR 2.15

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$4.31 MYR 17.61

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$18.63 MYR 76.2

-8.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$2.83 MYR 11.59

-38.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.02 MYR 12.34

18.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-47.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$11.55 MYR 47.23

61.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.15 MYR 4.72

15.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.98 MYR 4.02

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$5.96 MYR 24.38

-11.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.49 MYR 2.02

173.47%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$34.9K MYR 142.6K

-44.32%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$31.3K MYR 128.1K

-23.92%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$43.18 MYR 177

-5.77%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$8.96 MYR 36.63

199.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$29.00 MYR 119

5.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$37.41 MYR 153

41.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$5.73 MYR 23.45

365.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$4.85 MYR 19.82

34.23%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$187 MYR 763

129.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$6,827 MYR 27.9K

53.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$61.3 MYR 251

-6.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$27.14 MYR 111

67.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$73.5 MYR 301

41.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$50.8 MYR 208

112.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$200 MYR 820

400.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$116 MYR 474

437.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$648 MYR 2,651

225.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$273 MYR 1,116

346.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,050 MYR 8,383

89.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,138 MYR 4,653

78.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$490 MYR 2,003

111.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $200 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 112% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $22.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $249 per month, with Kuala Terengganu cheaper across the board.

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 Terengganu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Kuala Terengganu differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $696 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 112% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $200 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $696 in Kuala Terengganu – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $696 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kuala Terengganu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kuala Terengganu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Kuala Terengganu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kuala Terengganu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.