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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $657 in Palembang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,031 in Palembang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,404 in Palembang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 123% more expensive than Palembang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Palembang is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

998.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$17.59 Rp 315.3K

206.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

200.00%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.40 Rp 25.1K

153.57%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

67.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.28 Rp 5,023

296.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.83 Rp 32.8K

70.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.59 Rp 64.4K

28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.31 Rp 23.4K

29.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

134.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.41 Rp 25.2K

35.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

111.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.99 Rp 143.2K

25.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.13 Rp 56.1K

158.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.70 Rp 155.9K

33.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

24.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

25.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

36.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

53.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

17.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.97 Rp 17.4K

44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.50 Rp 9,007

126.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$21.68 Rp 388.7K

-28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.02 Rp 36.2K

-12.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$3.16 Rp 56.7K

13.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.47 Rp 8,498

-19.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$9.74 Rp 174.5K

96.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.52 Rp 9,398

165.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.37 Rp 6,710

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

84.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

73.33%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$24.3K Rp 434.9M

-22.97%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$28.1K Rp 504.4M

-17.81%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$69.8 Rp 1.3M

-41.45%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$4.23 Rp 75.9K

533.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$23.64 Rp 423.7K

26.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$23.44 Rp 420.2K

121.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$6.00 Rp 107.5K

347.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.04 Rp 54.5K

107.24%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$92.3 Rp 1.7M

372.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$7,546 Rp 135.3M

38.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$42.12 Rp 755.0K

34.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$31.14 Rp 558.2K

42.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

52.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$73.6 Rp 1.3M

43.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$257 Rp 4.6M

297.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$157 Rp 2.8M

302.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$584 Rp 10.5M

265.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$331 Rp 5.9M

275.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,346 Rp 24.1M

189.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$783 Rp 14.0M

163.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$309 Rp 5.5M

260.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Palembang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $257 in Palembang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 261% 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 $18.00 in Palembang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $214 per month, with Palembang 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 Palembang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Palembang differ by about 123% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $657 including rent). Palembang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 261% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $257 in Palembang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Palembang runs roughly 97% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $92.3 in Palembang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $657 in Palembang versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Palembang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Palembang 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 Palembang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.