Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Lumut, Perak

For one person, living is cheaper in Lumut, Perak: $988 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Lumut, Perak, Malaysia
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Lumut, Perak
🇲🇾 Malaysia
$988
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Lumut, Perak

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Lumut, Perak actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $988 in Lumut, Perak.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Lumut, Perak $988

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,498 in Lumut, Perak.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Lumut, Perak $1,498

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $2,008 in Lumut, Perak.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Lumut, Perak $2,008

Living in Mexico City is roughly 63% more expensive than in Lumut, Perak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Lumut, Perak is 27% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$3.65 MYR 14.85
190.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$12.00 MYR 48.89
302.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$4.91 MYR 20.03
110.79%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$2.95 MYR 12.01
25.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$0.77 MYR 3.13
116.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.38 MYR 1.55
234.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$3.75 MYR 15.27
-14.93%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$6.23 MYR 25.36
-14.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$2.06 MYR 8.38
-16.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.07 MYR 4.34
184.11%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.92 MYR 7.83
1.04%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.41 MYR 9.81
19.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$13.84 MYR 56.4
-20.74%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$4.53 MYR 18.46
104.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$9.83 MYR 40.06
53.92%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$3.32 MYR 13.52
-8.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.85 MYR 7.52
4.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$2.23 MYR 9.08
-8.97%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.57 MYR 6.38
47.13%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$1.27 MYR 5.18
60.63%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$1.38 MYR 5.61
30.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$1.16 MYR 4.73
27.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.71 MYR 2.89
78.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$4.28 MYR 17.45
23.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$19.87 MYR 81.0
-18.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$3.47 MYR 14.12
-42.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$5.04 MYR 20.52
-15.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$0.73 MYR 2.96
-57.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$12.54 MYR 51.1
57.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$1.23 MYR 5.02
49.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$1.26 MYR 5.12
-57.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$4.86 MYR 19.79
9.05%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$0.87 MYR 3.55
73.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$43.7K MYR 178.2K
-50.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$34.7K MYR 141.5K
-30.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$62.5 MYR 255
0.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$8.99 MYR 36.62
204.67%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$25.83 MYR 105
38.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$41.64 MYR 170
41.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$6.57 MYR 26.79
259.82%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$4.81 MYR 19.62
33.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$242 MYR 987
78.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$13.3K MYR 54.3K
-14.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$72.0 MYR 294
-5.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$42.00 MYR 171
26.50%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$85.3 MYR 347
26.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$96.4 MYR 393
21.61%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$415 MYR 1,692
168.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$295 MYR 1,201
140.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$722 MYR 2,942
258.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$563 MYR 2,293
149.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$1,757 MYR 7,160
106.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,304 MYR 5,314
63.69%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Lumut, Perak
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$375 MYR 1,527
152.46%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
4.17
172.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lumut, Perak: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Lumut, Perak
$295 58.5% $416
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Lumut, Perak
$273 14.4% $46
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Lumut, Perak
$115 42.1% $84
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Lumut, Perak
$133 14.6% $23
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Lumut, Perak
$97 22.8% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Lumut, Perak
$51 28.5% $20
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Lumut, Perak
$23 9.8% $2.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $415 in Lumut, Perak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays about 2.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $12 in Lumut, Perak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $273 per month, with Lumut, Perak cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇲🇾 Lumut, Perak
🕒 Local time
16:59 4:59 PM
06:59 6:59 AM
14 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
39,595
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.07 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.54 MYR (1 MYR = 0.22 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Lumut, Perak 16,610 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Lumut, Perak

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lumut, Perak: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Lumut, Perak?
Lumut, Perak wins on cost – living expenses run 39% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Lumut, Perak the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mexico City or in Lumut, Perak?
Average pay in Mexico City is about 2.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City compared to Lumut, Perak?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $415 in Lumut, Perak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Mexico City and in Lumut, Perak?
Dining out is cheaper in Lumut, Perak – a meal for two runs $12 versus $48 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Mexico City compared to Lumut, Perak?
All in, you’ll spend $1,608 per month in Mexico City versus $988 in Lumut, Perak – Lumut, Perak is about 39% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Can you live on $800/month in Mexico City or in Lumut, Perak?
Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Lumut, Perak is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Mexico City or Lumut, Perak?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lumut, Perak gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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