Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kuantan Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kuantan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,448 per month in Mexico City vs $780 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Mexico City vs $1,182 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Mexico City vs $1,584 in Kuantan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 86% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Kuantan is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$2.34 MYR 9.52

453.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$11.84 MYR 48.14

341.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$3.37 MYR 13.71

187.54%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$2.26 MYR 9.19

65.93%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.67 MYR 2.73

132.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.34 MYR 1.37

241.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$3.61 MYR 14.67

-10.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$5.40 MYR 21.93

-9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.68 MYR 6.82

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.13 MYR 4.60

136.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$1.00 MYR 4.07

89.00%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.23 MYR 5.02

104.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$10.08 MYR 40.96

-0.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$3.49 MYR 14.20

144.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$6.09 MYR 24.77

96.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.91 MYR 11.85

2.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.77 MYR 7.20

1.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$2.99 MYR 12.14

-33.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.97 MYR 8.01

-0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.27 MYR 5.16

70.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$1.00 MYR 4.05

127.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.73 MYR 2.99

91.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.52 MYR 2.11

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$4.22 MYR 17.15

-0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$19.42 MYR 79.0

-14.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$1.87 MYR 7.61

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$1.94 MYR 7.87

85.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.45 MYR 1.82

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$19.67 MYR 79.9

-2.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$1.02 MYR 4.15

35.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.38 MYR 1.53

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$4.31 MYR 17.53

25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.46 MYR 1.89

180.43%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$33.0K MYR 134.0K

-42.66%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$31.1K MYR 126.3K

-23.42%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$23.26 MYR 94.5

71.37%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$9.32 MYR 37.87

198.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$20.99 MYR 85.3

41.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$37.13 MYR 151

39.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$5.76 MYR 23.42

355.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$3.96 MYR 16.10

58.33%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$118 MYR 478

268.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$4,271 MYR 17.4K

146.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$71.5 MYR 290

-20.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$27.67 MYR 113

63.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$38.37 MYR 156

165.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$47.43 MYR 193

128.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$165 MYR 671

502.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$274 MYR 1,114

125.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$212 MYR 863

883.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$476 MYR 1,935

163.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,891 MYR 7,685

108.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$964 MYR 3,919

116.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$992 MYR 4,034

14.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.62

213.26%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Mexico City versus $165 in Kuantan. 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 14% 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 $12.00 in Kuantan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $217 – making Kuantan 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 Kuantan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 86%, 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 $2,173 per month in Mexico City and $1,170 in Kuantan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $433 per month in Mexico City and $118 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kuantan, where all-in costs run around $780, than in Mexico City at $1,448. In Kuantan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kuantan – 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 Kuantan. 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.