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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $640 in Padang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $988 in Padang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $1,335 in Padang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 163% more expensive than in Padang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Padang is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

648.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$11.17 Rp 198.5K

366.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$2.93 Rp 52.1K

270.99%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.73 Rp 30.8K

132.95%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.43 Rp 7,642

297.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.26 Rp 4,626

415.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.57 Rp 45.7K

31.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$3.56 Rp 63.2K

61.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

61.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

193.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

111.34%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.48 Rp 26.2K

103.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$8.04 Rp 142.9K

56.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

200.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$8.07 Rp 143.4K

98.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

41.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

60.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.26 Rp 22.4K

98.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

44.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

91.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.40 Rp 7,152

247.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.62 Rp 46.6K

105.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$23.09 Rp 410.3K

-22.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.98 Rp 52.9K

59.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.30 Rp 5,330

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

261.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.33 Rp 5,778

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$2.60 Rp 46.3K

123.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

77.01%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$22.3K Rp 396.5M

0.67%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$30.5K Rp 542.1M

-13.18%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

0.38%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$4.75 Rp 84.3K

552.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$19.21 Rp 341.4K

88.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$20.23 Rp 359.6K

184.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$9.44 Rp 167.8K

183.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

146.71%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

464.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$8,303 Rp 147.6M

59.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$42.35 Rp 752.8K

79.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$33.38 Rp 593.2K

62.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$61.5 Rp 1.1M

89.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

99.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$216 Rp 3.8M

430.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$176 Rp 3.1M

311.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$635 Rp 11.3M

293.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$366 Rp 6.5M

263.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,009 Rp 17.9M

286.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$661 Rp 11.7M

225.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$168 Rp 3.0M

534.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

9.67

17.37%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Padang: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $216 in Padang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 535% 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 $11.00 in Padang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $208 per month, with Padang 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 Padang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Padang differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $640 including rent). Padang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 535% 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $216 in Padang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Mexico City versus $80.9 in Padang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Padang – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Padang versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Padang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Padang 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 Padang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.