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 $1,682 per month in Mexico City vs $891 in Kuantan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,599 per month in Mexico City vs $1,253 in Kuantan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,516 per month in Mexico City vs $1,615 in Kuantan, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 89% more than Kuantan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 23% above the global median, while Kuantan is 35% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$2.47 MYR 10.00

378.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$12.08 MYR 48.82

331.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$3.59 MYR 14.51

202.79%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.92 MYR 11.81

38.01%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.69 MYR 2.79

147.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.41 MYR 1.67

226.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$3.40 MYR 13.75

-0.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$5.63 MYR 22.73

1.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.67 MYR 6.74

13.17%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.83 MYR 3.35

281.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.43 MYR 5.79

43.36%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.29 MYR 5.23

133.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$9.68 MYR 39.10

30.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$3.20 MYR 12.92

210.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$4.47 MYR 18.05

257.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$2.75 MYR 11.11

19.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.86 MYR 7.50

10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$2.76 MYR 11.16

-24.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.82 MYR 7.37

37.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.76 MYR 7.09

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.99 MYR 8.03

-6.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.71 MYR 2.86

121.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.56 MYR 2.27

148.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$4.40 MYR 17.76

22.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$20.05 MYR 81.0

-10.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.91 MYR 7.73

5.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.02 MYR 8.15

135.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.47 MYR 1.89

-23.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$12.23 MYR 49.43

70.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$1.14 MYR 4.59

80.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.38 MYR 1.54

47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$9.52 MYR 38.46

-38.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.52 MYR 2.11

196.15%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$34.1K MYR 137.9K

-34.20%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$33.0K MYR 133.2K

-19.70%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$39.62 MYR 160

66.51%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$8.41 MYR 33.99

268.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$24.29 MYR 98.1

49.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$40.84 MYR 165

40.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$7.13 MYR 28.80

275.18%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$4.61 MYR 18.60

54.66%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$283 MYR 1,142

61.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$10.6K MYR 42.6K

25.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$52.5 MYR 212

44.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$30.23 MYR 122

78.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$49.53 MYR 200

135.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$49.19 MYR 199

147.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$431 MYR 1,742

166.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$350 MYR 1,415

107.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$719 MYR 2,904

248.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$488 MYR 1,973

172.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$2,049 MYR 8,279

90.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$1,128 MYR 4,555

90.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$972 MYR 3,927

9.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

4.15

173.49%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Kuantan: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Mexico City versus $431 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 10% 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: $344 vs $212 – 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 89%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,523 per month in Mexico City and $1,337 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 $457 per month in Mexico City and $283 in Kuantan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% 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 $891, than in Mexico City at $1,682. 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.