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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $640 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $988 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,336 in Medan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 127% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Medan is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

595.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$10.72 Rp 192.3K

401.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$3.28 Rp 58.9K

195.12%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.80 Rp 32.2K

107.78%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.39 Rp 7,050

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.27 Rp 4,869

329.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.55 Rp 27.9K

108.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

-9.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

39.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

133.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

125.30%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.53 Rp 27.4K

63.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$9.39 Rp 168.5K

8.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.71 Rp 66.5K

122.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$6.83 Rp 122.5K

73.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

29.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

81.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

30.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.88 Rp 15.8K

127.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

177.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.27 Rp 22.7K

78.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.45 Rp 8,160

224.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.49 Rp 8,802

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$2.48 Rp 44.5K

75.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$15.90 Rp 285.2K

6.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.36 Rp 24.4K

27.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.17 Rp 56.9K

12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.32 Rp 5,826

21.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$9.59 Rp 172.0K

94.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

129.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.22 Rp 3,955

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$6.17 Rp 110.8K

-14.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

63.41%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$28.0K Rp 502.7M

-30.73%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$33.9K Rp 608.1M

-29.70%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$83.7 Rp 1.5M

-51.36%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$3.67 Rp 65.9K

632.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$34.25 Rp 614.4K

-10.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$23.20 Rp 416.2K

127.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$7.12 Rp 127.7K

274.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

86.53%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$123 Rp 2.2M

249.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$10.6K Rp 190.0M

-0.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$66.4 Rp 1.2M

-13.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$42.18 Rp 756.6K

7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$115 Rp 2.1M

-9.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

64.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$196 Rp 3.5M

411.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$100 Rp 1.8M

522.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$530 Rp 9.5M

297.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$232 Rp 4.2M

424.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,110 Rp 19.9M

250.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$550 Rp 9.9M

269.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$213 Rp 3.8M

386.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.25

22.59%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $196 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 387% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $186 per month, with Medan 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 Medan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 127% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 387% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $196 in Medan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 95% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $123 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $640 in Medan versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Medan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.