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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $753 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,157 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $1,562 in Malacca, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 92% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Malacca is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.61 MYR 14.63

259.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$18.57 MYR 75.3

183.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.59 MYR 18.62

105.45%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.89 MYR 11.72

23.53%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.79 MYR 3.19

103.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.49 MYR 1.98

134.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.14 MYR 8.66

47.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.12 MYR 12.67

55.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.48 MYR 6.01

14.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.98 MYR 3.99

169.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.23 MYR 5.00

54.47%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.81 MYR 7.35

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$15.36 MYR 62.3

-34.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.99 MYR 20.23

66.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$11.48 MYR 46.57

0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.74 MYR 15.16

-18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.48 MYR 5.98

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.65 MYR 10.74

-22.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$2.03 MYR 8.21

1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.53 MYR 6.22

34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.73 MYR 7.02

25.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.28 MYR 5.17

9.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.56 MYR 2.27

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.15 MYR 16.82

3.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.09 MYR 57.2

9.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.99 MYR 8.08

-16.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.92 MYR 11.85

26.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.84 MYR 48.02

60.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.39 MYR 5.64

-0.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.99 MYR 4.01

-71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.88 MYR 23.84

-7.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.49 MYR 2.00

161.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$35.9K MYR 145.5K

-47.09%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.2K MYR 154.8K

-38.55%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$44.85 MYR 182

-8.54%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$9.25 MYR 37.53

191.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$30.20 MYR 122

-1.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$16.76 MYR 68.0

212.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$11.71 MYR 47.48

124.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.90 MYR 19.86

26.12%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$188 MYR 762

127.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,873 MYR 27.9K

55.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$65.5 MYR 266

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$19.13 MYR 77.6

134.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$71.8 MYR 291

45.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$40.10 MYR 163

164.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$334 MYR 1,355

197.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$189 MYR 768

227.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$706 MYR 2,862

201.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$281 MYR 1,139

346.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,956 MYR 7,932

99.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$991 MYR 4,017

111.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$934 MYR 3,788

18.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Malacca: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $334 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 19% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $19.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $254 – 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: $1,447 in Mexico City, $753 in Malacca – roughly 92% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,129 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 $53.0 in Mexico City and $19.00 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 $1,447 in Mexico City and $753 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 $753, than in Mexico City at $1,447. 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 $753 in Malacca to $1,447 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.