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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $607 in Medan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $933 in Medan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,260 in Medan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 171% more expensive than in Medan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Medan is 56% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

604.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

498.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

268.24%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

161.29%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.34 Rp 6,114

405.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.25 Rp 4,458

452.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

100.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

62.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

71.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

182.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

151.81%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

118.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

57.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

186.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

146.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

36.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

102.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

47.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

155.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

151.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

9.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.41 Rp 7,334

295.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.44 Rp 7,756

206.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

79.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

7.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

56.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.27 Rp 4,759

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

255.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$0.53 Rp 9,394

284.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$0.20 Rp 3,602

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

110.39%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

-8.55%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

-15.58%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

-24.54%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

807.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

56.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

257.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

207.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

99.71%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$114 Rp 2.0M

296.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

677.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

41.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$105 Rp 1.9M

7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$115 Rp 2.0M

6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$177 Rp 3.1M

539.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

701.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$497 Rp 8.8M

417.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$211 Rp 3.8M

520.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

247.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$571 Rp 10.1M

266.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$214 Rp 3.8M

388.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.25

22.16%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $177 in Medan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 389% 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 Medan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $182 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 171% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 389% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $177 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 256% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $114 in Medan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $607 in Medan versus $1,646 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 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.