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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $517 in Purwokerto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $847 in Purwokerto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,176 in Purwokerto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 221% more expensive than in Purwokerto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Purwokerto is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.30 Rp 23.0K

816.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$8.34 Rp 147.6K

518.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.21 Rp 56.8K

255.45%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.40 Rp 24.7K

185.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.42 Rp 7,355

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.17 Rp 3,075

682.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.24 Rp 39.7K

54.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.10 Rp 54.9K

90.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.15 Rp 20.3K

63.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.89 Rp 15.7K

265.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

160.24%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.48 Rp 26.3K

95.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.26 Rp 128.5K

77.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.88 Rp 51.0K

248.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.60 Rp 134.6K

108.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

47.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

79.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

45.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

159.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

84.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.94 Rp 34.3K

-2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.67 Rp 11.8K

140.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.36 Rp 6,299

288.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.39 Rp 42.4K

128.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$22.29 Rp 394.7K

-20.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.87 Rp 33.2K

10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.12 Rp 55.3K

50.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.22 Rp 3,902

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$11.88 Rp 210.3K

75.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.49 Rp 8,589

328.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.33 Rp 5,793

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

147.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

123.61%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$21.5K Rp 380.2M

6.39%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$29.0K Rp 512.8M

-7.63%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$34.43 Rp 609.6K

89.31%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

982.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.10 Rp 338.1K

94.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$19.74 Rp 349.6K

202.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$11.29 Rp 199.9K

135.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.51 Rp 44.4K

180.48%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$94.4 Rp 1.7M

392.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,263 Rp 128.6M

82.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$39.61 Rp 701.3K

91.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$31.60 Rp 559.6K

77.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$73.0 Rp 1.3M

53.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

64.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$140 Rp 2.5M

687.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

897.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$587 Rp 10.4M

331.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$259 Rp 4.6M

399.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,409 Rp 25.0M

183.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$288 Rp 5.1M

624.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$120 Rp 2.1M

765.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

8.45

33.73%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $140 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 766% 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 $8.00 in Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $191 per month, with Purwokerto 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 Purwokerto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Purwokerto differ by about 221% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $517 including rent). Purwokerto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 766% 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 $140 in Purwokerto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Purwokerto runs roughly 75% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $94.4 in Purwokerto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $517 in Purwokerto versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Purwokerto but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Purwokerto 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Purwokerto are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Purwokerto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 221% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.