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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $475 in Malang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $746 in Malang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,017 in Malang, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 207% more than Malang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Malang is 64% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$1.25 Rp 22.5K

945.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$12.34 Rp 221.8K

335.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

224.83%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

167.14%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.61 Rp 11.0K

165.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.22 Rp 3,934

427.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.50 Rp 45.0K

29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.14 Rp 56.5K

50.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

82.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

114.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

64.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.30 Rp 113.2K

61.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

155.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.06 Rp 126.8K

67.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

25.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

16.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.69 Rp 30.3K

18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

39.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

51.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

26.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.55 Rp 9,853

165.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.45 Rp 8,032

140.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

75.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$12.63 Rp 226.9K

34.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.63 Rp 11.3K

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$6.09 Rp 109.5K

206.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.47 Rp 8,466

182.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.31 Rp 5,661

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.32 Rp 113.6K

-16.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

61.45%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$20.6K Rp 371.0M

-5.97%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$27.4K Rp 491.7M

-12.90%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$33.49 Rp 601.8K

21.50%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$2.64 Rp 47.5K

917.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$19.86 Rp 356.9K

53.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$14.85 Rp 266.8K

255.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.03 Rp 90.4K

429.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$2.21 Rp 39.8K

194.57%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$33.25 Rp 597.5K

1187.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$9,348 Rp 168.0M

12.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$42.80 Rp 769.1K

33.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$30.76 Rp 552.8K

47.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$59.4 Rp 1.1M

75.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$163 Rp 2.9M

514.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$49.79 Rp 894.8K

1150.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$278 Rp 5.0M

659.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$92.2 Rp 1.7M

1221.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$198 Rp 3.6M

423.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

183.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Malang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $163 in Malang. 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 424% 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 $12.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $183 – making Malang 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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 207%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $712 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 207% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $33.25 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $475, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Malang. 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.