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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,660 per month in Mexico City vs $595 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Mexico City vs $952 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,470 per month in Mexico City vs $1,308 in Malacca, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 179% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 21% above the global median, while Malacca is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$3.26 MYR 13.33

265.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$21.58 MYR 88.3

139.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$5.00 MYR 20.45

128.20%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$2.98 MYR 12.21

33.89%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.79 MYR 3.24

110.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.52 MYR 2.11

155.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$1.93 MYR 7.91

79.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.03 MYR 12.39

94.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.70 MYR 6.96

10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$1.07 MYR 4.37

203.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$1.45 MYR 5.94

48.97%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.66 MYR 6.78

74.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$18.34 MYR 75.1

-29.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.49 MYR 18.38

123.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$10.89 MYR 44.56

45.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$3.40 MYR 13.93

-3.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.75 MYR 7.16

14.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$2.49 MYR 10.19

-11.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.63 MYR 6.68

44.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.41 MYR 5.79

45.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.72 MYR 7.03

10.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$1.32 MYR 5.40

21.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.55 MYR 2.27

154.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$4.35 MYR 17.81

25.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$14.05 MYR 57.5

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.19 MYR 8.96

-5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.09 MYR 12.65

51.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.51 MYR 2.08

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

$12.41 MYR 50.8

67.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$1.49 MYR 6.08

40.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.71 MYR 2.92

-21.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$12.24 MYR 50.1

-52.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.48 MYR 1.96

235.42%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$41.2K MYR 168.8K

-44.62%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$36.2K MYR 148.1K

-26.04%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$53.5 MYR 219

21.83%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$11.00 MYR 45.03

173.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$29.25 MYR 120

27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$22.55 MYR 92.3

165.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$11.60 MYR 47.49

128.88%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$5.02 MYR 20.53

40.24%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$166 MYR 679

180.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$4,526 MYR 18.5K

193.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$66.0 MYR 270

14.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$16.61 MYR 68.0

236.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$80.6 MYR 330

38.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$40.95 MYR 168

194.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$196 MYR 802

462.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,188 MYR 4,862

235.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$796 MYR 3,257

162.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

$422 MYR 1,728

145.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.06

178.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malacca: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,103 in Mexico City versus $196 in Malacca. 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 146% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $22.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $261 – making Malacca 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 Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City, $595 in Malacca – roughly 179% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,489 per month in Mexico City and $892 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Mexico City and $22.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,660 in Mexico City and $595 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $595, than in Mexico City at $1,660. In Malacca 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 $595 in Malacca to $1,660 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 Malacca. 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.