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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $611 in Mataram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $985 in Mataram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,360 in Mataram.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 172% more expensive than in Mataram, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Mataram is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$0.95 Rp 16.9K

1154.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$9.19 Rp 162.8K

461.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.31 Rp 58.6K

244.71%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.58 Rp 28.0K

152.53%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.42 Rp 7,461

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.33 Rp 5,866

303.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.38 Rp 59.8K

74.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

39.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

108.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.84 Rp 14.8K

157.14%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

92.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.95 Rp 140.8K

61.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.05 Rp 54.0K

229.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.01 Rp 141.8K

98.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

57.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.35 Rp 23.9K

48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.77 Rp 31.4K

24.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.25 Rp 22.1K

88.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

55.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

11.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.42 Rp 7,385

233.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

104.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$20.74 Rp 367.2K

-14.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

7.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

73.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.32 Rp 5,673

6.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.49 Rp 8,601

328.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.33 Rp 5,886

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$3.13 Rp 55.3K

85.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.62 Rp 11.0K

159.68%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$22.6K Rp 400.1M

1.09%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$35.7K Rp 632.0M

-25.05%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$75.6 Rp 1.3M

-13.78%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.06 Rp 71.9K

641.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.22 Rp 340.4K

93.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$20.32 Rp 359.8K

194.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.23 Rp 128.1K

267.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

142.76%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$106 Rp 1.9M

339.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,960 Rp 158.7M

48.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$46.12 Rp 816.6K

64.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$29.40 Rp 520.6K

90.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$72.7 Rp 1.3M

53.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$73.1 Rp 1.3M

64.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$231 Rp 4.1M

377.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$137 Rp 2.4M

426.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$641 Rp 11.3M

294.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$371 Rp 6.6M

248.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,312 Rp 23.2M

204.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$668 Rp 11.8M

212.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$227 Rp 4.0M

357.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mataram: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $231 in Mataram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 358% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $9.00 in Mataram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $205 per month, with Mataram cheaper across the board.

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 Mataram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Mataram differ by about 172% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $611 including rent). Mataram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 358% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $231 in Mataram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $611 in Mataram – a 172% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $611 in Mataram versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mataram but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mataram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Mataram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 172% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.