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 $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $529 in Madang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,191 in Madang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,852 in Madang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 178% more than Madang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Madang is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$6.69 PGK 29.50

96.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$38.09 PGK 168

40.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$10.82 PGK 47.75

-13.77%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.44 PGK 10.76

51.64%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$1.23 PGK 5.43

30.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.71 PGK 3.12

57.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.89 PGK 12.77

8.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.31 PGK 19.00

12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.95 PGK 8.62

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.46 PGK 6.43

85.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.47 PGK 6.50

29.93%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$3.39 PGK 14.94

-23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$5.75 PGK 25.36

46.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$8.21 PGK 36.25

45.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$5.41 PGK 23.87

-45.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$2.38 PGK 10.51

-26.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.92 PGK 4.04

121.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.97 PGK 8.68

4.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$4.89 PGK 21.59

-56.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.91 PGK 12.86

-22.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$5.91 PGK 26.07

-76.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.47 PGK 2.06

138.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$5.08 PGK 22.41

-16.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.22 PGK 9.78

-22.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.44 PGK 10.75

48.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$1.11 PGK 4.88

22.52%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

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

$40.53 MX$701

$65.9 PGK 291

-38.52%

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

$27.38 MX$474

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$23.73 PGK 105

28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

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

$425 MX$7,355

$78.8 PGK 348

439.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,047 PGK 26.7K

77.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$19.43 PGK 85.7

200.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$14.52 PGK 64.1

206.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$66.7 PGK 294

55.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$28.71 PGK 127

278.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$952 PGK 4,201

122.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$599 PGK 2,641

104.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Madang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $38.00 in Madang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $227 – 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 178% 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $794 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $38.00 in Madang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 29% 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 $529, than in Mexico City at $1,472. 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 $529 versus $1,472 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.