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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $806 in Langkawi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,241 in Langkawi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,676 in Langkawi, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 81% more than Langkawi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Langkawi is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.49 MYR 14.26

274.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$21.18 MYR 86.6

153.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.95 MYR 24.35

62.69%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.51 MYR 6.19

147.68%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.81 MYR 3.31

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.60 MYR 2.46

93.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$3.49 MYR 14.29

-7.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$5.07 MYR 20.75

-6.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.55 MYR 6.34

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.13 MYR 4.62

143.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.26 MYR 5.13

48.41%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.10 MYR 8.59

19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$14.79 MYR 60.5

-31.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.48 MYR 18.34

84.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$9.65 MYR 39.45

22.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.94 MYR 7.92

55.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.53 MYR 6.27

18.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.60 MYR 10.62

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.42 MYR 5.83

40.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.18 MYR 4.83

76.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.34 MYR 5.46

69.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.04 MYR 4.24

40.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.52 MYR 2.11

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.77 MYR 15.40

15.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.57 MYR 35.03

98.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$0.83 MYR 3.41

108.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.96 MYR 12.12

20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.69 MYR 2.84

-43.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$11.61 MYR 47.48

60.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.20 MYR 4.92

10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.04 MYR 4.24

-73.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$5.72 MYR 23.39

-8.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.50 MYR 2.06

168.00%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$34.7K MYR 142.1K

-44.13%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

-24.96%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$35.46 MYR 145

14.75%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$8.86 MYR 36.23

203.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$29.46 MYR 120

3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$20.86 MYR 85.3

153.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$6.05 MYR 24.76

340.50%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.97 MYR 20.34

30.99%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$191 MYR 782

123.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,913 MYR 28.3K

51.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$60.5 MYR 247

-5.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$27.56 MYR 113

65.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$73.6 MYR 301

41.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$51.0 MYR 209

111.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$389 MYR 1,591

157.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$273 MYR 1,117

128.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$647 MYR 2,646

225.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$466 MYR 1,905

161.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,188 MYR 4,857

227.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,232 MYR 5,040

-15.78%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Langkawi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $389 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 19% 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 $21.00 in Langkawi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $216 – 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: $1,456 in Mexico City, $806 in Langkawi – roughly 81% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,209 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 $428 per month in Mexico City and $191 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 $806, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $806 in Langkawi to $1,456 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.