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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $829 in Langkawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,274 in Langkawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,720 in Langkawi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 77% more than Langkawi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Langkawi is 38% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.49 MYR 13.94

277.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$21.60 MYR 86.2

149.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.99 MYR 23.91

57.26%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.48 MYR 5.92

139.86%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.80 MYR 3.20

102.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.60 MYR 2.40

85.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$3.46 MYR 13.82

-9.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$4.90 MYR 19.56

-5.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.49 MYR 5.95

14.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.11 MYR 4.43

145.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.29 MYR 5.14

48.06%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.03 MYR 8.09

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$14.87 MYR 59.4

-32.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.28 MYR 17.09

89.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.48 MYR 37.83

22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.92 MYR 7.66

54.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.47 MYR 5.86

23.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$2.57 MYR 10.25

-21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.37 MYR 5.47

48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.18 MYR 4.70

79.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.33 MYR 5.32

70.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.04 MYR 4.16

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.52 MYR 2.08

117.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.90 MYR 15.55

9.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$19.25 MYR 76.8

-19.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.84 MYR 3.33

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.97 MYR 11.83

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.69 MYR 2.75

-44.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$11.91 MYR 47.53

61.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.20 MYR 4.79

15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.98 MYR 3.93

-71.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$5.96 MYR 23.77

-8.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.50 MYR 2.01

160.00%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$35.3K MYR 141.0K

-47.11%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$31.7K MYR 126.4K

-26.96%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$35.75 MYR 143

14.29%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$8.89 MYR 35.48

201.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$28.56 MYR 114

4.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$21.56 MYR 86.0

141.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$5.91 MYR 23.57

354.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.84 MYR 19.29

30.17%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$185 MYR 737

136.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$6,967 MYR 27.8K

49.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$59.7 MYR 238

-5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$26.99 MYR 108

64.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$72.8 MYR 290

41.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$49.93 MYR 199

111.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$390 MYR 1,558

161.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$270 MYR 1,078

133.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$648 MYR 2,587

229.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$474 MYR 1,892

162.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,944 MYR 7,758

100.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$880 MYR 3,510

134.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$2,095 MYR 8,360

-46.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Langkawi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $390 in Langkawi. 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 88% higher in Langkawi, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $22.00 in Langkawi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $235 – making Langkawi 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 Langkawi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $829 in Langkawi – roughly 77% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,243 in Langkawi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 61% less in Langkawi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $185 in Langkawi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Langkawi, where all-in costs run around $829, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Langkawi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $829 in Langkawi to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Langkawi. 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.