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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $976 in Kuala Terengganu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,436 in Kuala Terengganu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,897 in Kuala Terengganu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 69% more expensive than in Kuala Terengganu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Kuala Terengganu is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$2.50 MYR 10.12

384.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$23.34 MYR 94.4

123.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$5.01 MYR 20.27

117.56%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.79 MYR 11.26

45.16%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.46 MYR 1.88

273.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.28 MYR 1.13

392.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$4.23 MYR 17.11

-17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$4.22 MYR 17.08

37.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.74 MYR 7.04

6.32%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$1.05 MYR 4.25

206.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$1.30 MYR 5.26

60.77%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$1.95 MYR 7.87

49.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$14.25 MYR 57.6

-12.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.58 MYR 18.52

120.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$10.22 MYR 41.32

55.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$3.31 MYR 13.38

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.68 MYR 6.81

26.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$2.78 MYR 11.25

-21.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$1.76 MYR 7.10

39.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$1.19 MYR 4.80

84.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$1.09 MYR 4.40

74.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.20 MYR 4.86

35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.53 MYR 2.16

154.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$4.36 MYR 17.61

24.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$20.75 MYR 83.9

-15.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$2.52 MYR 10.18

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$4.03 MYR 16.29

17.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.83 MYR 3.35

-59.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$11.21 MYR 45.31

92.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$1.26 MYR 5.07

61.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$0.56 MYR 2.26

3.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$7.06 MYR 28.55

-15.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.66 MYR 2.66

145.45%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

-45.54%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$35.7K MYR 144.2K

-25.25%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$50.6 MYR 205

28.86%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$9.17 MYR 37.07

225.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$26.58 MYR 107

37.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$44.19 MYR 179

38.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$6.54 MYR 26.43

308.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.94 MYR 19.96

38.66%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$202 MYR 815

124.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$4,936 MYR 20.0K

170.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$61.2 MYR 247

22.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$38.93 MYR 157

42.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$93.6 MYR 379

21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$80.6 MYR 326

52.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$436 MYR 1,764

159.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$293 MYR 1,184

143.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$763 MYR 3,083

237.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$471 MYR 1,906

178.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$2,271 MYR 9,182

75.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$1,153 MYR 4,663

81.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$501 MYR 2,028

108.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.2

169.05%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Kuala Terengganu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $436 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 109% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Kuala Terengganu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $263 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $976 including rent). Kuala Terengganu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 109% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $436 in Kuala Terengganu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $976 in Kuala Terengganu – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kuala Terengganu runs roughly 93% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $976 in Kuala Terengganu versus $1,646 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 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.