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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $573 in Magelang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $882 in Magelang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,192 in Magelang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 157% more than Magelang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Magelang is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

776.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$9.49 Rp 171.3K

464.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$2.85 Rp 51.5K

227.37%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$0.87 Rp 15.8K

325.29%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.38 Rp 6,872

321.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.20 Rp 3,637

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

109.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.98 Rp 53.8K

62.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.14 Rp 20.7K

44.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.22 Rp 22.0K

122.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

130.12%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

78.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.17 Rp 129.5K

36.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.51 Rp 45.2K

235.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.75 Rp 140.0K

53.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.29 Rp 23.3K

34.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.39 Rp 25.1K

46.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

101.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

100.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.44 Rp 26.0K

56.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.85 Rp 15.3K

63.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.37 Rp 6,630

202.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.48 Rp 44.7K

70.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$16.35 Rp 295.2K

7.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.70 Rp 30.6K

0.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

58.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.30 Rp 5,402

16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$10.04 Rp 181.2K

92.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.44 Rp 7,994

213.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.31 Rp 5,661

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.51 Rp 45.3K

110.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

76.62%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$28.1K Rp 507.0M

-31.99%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

-26.44%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$50.7 Rp 914.5K

-20.00%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$4.20 Rp 75.8K

551.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$19.83 Rp 357.9K

53.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$15.27 Rp 275.6K

241.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$3.93 Rp 71.0K

573.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.73 Rp 49.3K

126.74%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$49.98 Rp 902.3K

750.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$4,352 Rp 78.6M

146.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$21.29 Rp 384.3K

173.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$21.69 Rp 391.6K

105.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$63.7 Rp 1.1M

62.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$57.6 Rp 1.0M

88.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$262 Rp 4.7M

287.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$155 Rp 2.8M

300.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$579 Rp 10.4M

266.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$330 Rp 6.0M

270.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,132 Rp 20.4M

234.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$682 Rp 12.3M

209.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$171 Rp 3.1M

516.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.33

36.13%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Magelang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $262 in Magelang. 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 517% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $9.00 in Magelang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $179 – making Magelang 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 Magelang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City, $573 in Magelang – roughly 157% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $860 in Magelang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 64% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $9.00 in Magelang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Magelang, where all-in costs run around $573, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Magelang 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 $573 in Magelang to $1,472 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 Magelang. 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.