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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,481 per month in Mexico City vs $1,003 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,352 per month in Mexico City vs $1,508 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,222 per month in Mexico City vs $2,014 in Kulim, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 48% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Kulim is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$2.61 MYR 10.66

404.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$934

$23.18 MYR 94.8

131.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$3.84 MYR 15.71

148.70%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.9

$2.23 MYR 9.10

66.82%

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

$1.57 MX$27.33

$0.71 MYR 2.92

121.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$0.34 MYR 1.37

241.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.5

$4.30 MYR 17.59

-26.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

$5.32 MYR 21.74

-12.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.74

$1.89 MYR 7.71

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.63

$1.13 MYR 4.62

131.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.93

$1.44 MYR 5.87

31.25%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.26

$1.84 MYR 7.53

41.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$22.46 MYR 91.8

-55.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$4.76 MYR 19.44

72.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$10.41 MYR 42.55

13.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.2

$4.06 MYR 16.61

-26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$1.69 MYR 6.90

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.16

$3.46 MYR 14.15

-40.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.30

$2.66 MYR 10.88

-25.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.13

$1.74 MYR 7.13

18.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.92

$0.99 MYR 4.05

119.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$1.11 MYR 4.56

26.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$0.56 MYR 2.27

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.8

$4.35 MYR 17.77

-5.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$16.46 MYR 67.3

5.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.22

$4.21 MYR 17.21

-60.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.6

$5.65 MYR 23.11

-35.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.63

$0.49 MYR 2.01

-22.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$11.98 MYR 48.96

56.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$1.19 MYR 4.88

11.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$0.99 MYR 4.05

-69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.1

$4.42 MYR 18.08

24.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$0.47 MYR 1.92

178.72%

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

$19.2K MX$334.2K

$44.1K MYR 180.2K

-56.52%

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

$23.7K MX$414.1K

$31.0K MYR 126.5K

-23.28%

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

$41.14 MX$717

$75.6 MYR 309

-45.60%

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

$27.74 MX$484

$9.93 MYR 40.58

179.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$525

$28.60 MYR 117

5.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$937

$37.15 MYR 152

44.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$453

$5.85 MYR 23.93

344.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$5.62 MYR 22.97

15.48%

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

$437 MX$7,614

$117 MYR 478

273.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.3K

$4,247 MYR 17.4K

146.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$108 MYR 442

-46.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$800

$27.39 MYR 112

67.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,769

$74.9 MYR 306

35.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$78.5 MYR 321

35.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$390 MYR 1,595

157.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$271 MYR 1,106

134.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$657 MYR 2,687

226.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$467 MYR 1,909

166.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.3K

$1,759 MYR 7,191

119.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$1,263 MYR 5,161

65.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.96

186.36%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Kulim: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Mexico City versus $390 in Kulim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $23.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $291 in Mexico City vs $307 in Kulim – so Mexico City wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 48% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,222 per month in Mexico City and $1,504 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Mexico City – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $23.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $1,003, than in Mexico City at $1,481. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $1,003 versus $1,481 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kulim. 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.