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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $530 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,180 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,831 in Madang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 173% more than Madang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Madang is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.85 PGK 29.44

89.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$38.80 PGK 167

35.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$10.71 PGK 46.02

-11.95%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.34 PGK 10.03

52.56%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.22 PGK 5.22

31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.70 PGK 3.00

64.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.95 PGK 12.68

6.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.30 PGK 18.47

13.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.88 PGK 8.08

-9.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.41 PGK 6.06

87.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.45 PGK 6.24

31.03%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.28 PGK 14.10

-22.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$5.61 PGK 24.12

47.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$8.19 PGK 35.18

41.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.35 PGK 22.99

-43.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$2.43 PGK 10.44

-29.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.91 PGK 3.92

125.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.96 PGK 8.44

5.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$4.85 PGK 20.85

-57.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.93 PGK 12.58

-25.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$6.10 PGK 26.19

-77.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.46 PGK 1.96

143.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$5.20 PGK 22.33

-17.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.14 PGK 9.21

-21.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.38 PGK 10.21

55.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.10 PGK 4.71

16.36%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

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

$41.02 MX$704

$68.1 PGK 292

-39.74%

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

$26.92 MX$462

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$24.06 PGK 103

23.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

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

$427 MX$7,331

$80.3 PGK 345

431.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$5,942 PGK 25.5K

80.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$19.19 PGK 82.4

196.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$14.45 PGK 62.1

210.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$67.4 PGK 290

55.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$28.32 PGK 122

274.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$951 PGK 4,085

123.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$592 PGK 2,542

111.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Madang: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $225 – making Madang 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 Madang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 173% more than Madang, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $795 in Madang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $39.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 28% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Madang, where all-in costs run around $530, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Madang 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. Madang costs $530 versus $1,447 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Madang. 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.