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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 80% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Kuching is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.76 MYR 11.19

370.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$20.32 MYR 82.4

158.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.81 MYR 19.51

96.05%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.53 MYR 10.26

41.11%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.76 MYR 3.07

111.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.29 MYR 1.19

296.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.78 MYR 11.27

13.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.61 MYR 14.63

34.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-10.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.09 MYR 4.44

142.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.06 MYR 4.28

79.25%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.15 MYR 8.73

18.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$9.37 MYR 38.01

7.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.79 MYR 15.36

118.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.01 MYR 32.49

44.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.99 MYR 12.14

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.14 MYR 4.63

50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.59 MYR 10.48

-20.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.80 MYR 7.31

14.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.11 MYR 4.50

85.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.24 MYR 5.01

75.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-17.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.53 MYR 2.13

111.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.19 MYR 17.00

2.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$21.36 MYR 86.6

-27.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-56.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.41 MYR 13.82

8.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.23 MYR 0.93

65.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.92 MYR 48.32

59.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.93 MYR 3.76

48.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-74.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.84 MYR 7.45

194.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.50 MYR 2.03

156.00%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-57.42%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-37.14%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$41.24 MYR 167

-0.53%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.92 MYR 36.16

201.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$25.42 MYR 103

16.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$29.51 MYR 120

77.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$9.77 MYR 39.62

168.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.63 MYR 18.77

33.48%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$141 MYR 572

202.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

76.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$65.8 MYR 267

-13.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$31.99 MYR 130

40.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$85.9 MYR 348

21.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$71.5 MYR 290

48.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$285 MYR 1,156

249.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$205 MYR 830

203.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$556 MYR 2,255

282.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$386 MYR 1,566

224.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,144 MYR 8,692

82.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,535 MYR 6,224

36.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$552 MYR 2,239

100.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.27

165.57%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 101% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $243 per month, with Kuching 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 101% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $285 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $802 in Kuching – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.