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: $1,448 in Mexico City versus $631 in Purwokerto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,354 in Mexico City versus $960 in Purwokerto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Mexico City versus $1,289 in Purwokerto.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 129% more expensive than Purwokerto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Purwokerto is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.96 MX$223

$1.30 Rp 23.1K

896.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 MX$900

$9.15 Rp 162.0K

471.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.69 MX$167

$3.41 Rp 60.4K

184.16%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$64.6

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

171.74%

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

$1.56 MX$26.91

$0.36 Rp 6,358

333.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.93

$0.19 Rp 3,331

510.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 MX$55.8

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

86.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.90 MX$84.3

$3.64 Rp 64.4K

34.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.29

$1.23 Rp 21.8K

38.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 MX$45.90

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

147.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.49

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

133.33%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$43.37

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

65.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.02 MX$172

$8.92 Rp 158.0K

12.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.53 MX$147

$3.12 Rp 55.4K

173.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$205

$7.93 Rp 140.5K

50.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.1

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.88

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

33.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.40

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

17.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.74

$1.60 Rp 28.4K

22.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

46.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.04

$2.57 Rp 45.5K

-11.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.14

$0.98 Rp 17.3K

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.18

$0.32 Rp 5,694

246.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$72.2

$2.49 Rp 44.1K

68.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.54 MX$285

$21.60 Rp 382.7K

-23.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.94

$2.05 Rp 36.4K

-18.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 MX$61.8

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

0.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.65

$0.26 Rp 4,619

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.19 MX$330

$9.78 Rp 173.3K

96.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.72 Rp 12.7K

91.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.19

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

-60.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.7

$2.47 Rp 43.8K

118.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MX$22.13

$0.64 Rp 11.3K

101.56%

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

$18.9K MX$325.1K

$24.7K Rp 437.9M

-23.55%

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

$23.8K MX$409.5K

$25.8K Rp 457.5M

-7.84%

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

$39.86 MX$686

$43.92 Rp 778.0K

-9.24%

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

$27.83 MX$479

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

513.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.77 MX$512

$22.43 Rp 397.3K

32.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$894

$18.11 Rp 320.9K

186.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.22 MX$451

$6.27 Rp 111.0K

318.18%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$108

$2.79 Rp 49.5K

124.73%

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

$433 MX$7,443

$93.7 Rp 1.7M

361.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$181.3K

$7,626 Rp 135.1M

38.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 MX$981

$42.21 Rp 747.7K

35.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.33 MX$780

$31.09 Rp 550.7K

45.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 MX$1,753

$59.8 Rp 1.1M

70.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,867

$65.2 Rp 1.2M

66.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.1K

$260 Rp 4.6M

282.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 MX$10.6K

$155 Rp 2.7M

297.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 MX$35.9K

$584 Rp 10.3M

257.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,256 MX$21.6K

$334 Rp 5.9M

275.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,936 MX$67.7K

$1,427 Rp 25.3M

175.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,089 MX$35.9K

$280 Rp 5.0M

644.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,131 MX$19.5K

$122 Rp 2.2M

830.53%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Purwokerto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Mexico City and $260 in Purwokerto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 831% 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 Purwokerto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $211 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 129% in total monthly costs ($1,448 vs $631 including rent). Purwokerto is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 831% 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: $994 in Mexico City versus $260 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 96% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $433 in Mexico City versus $93.7 in Purwokerto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $631 in Purwokerto versus $1,448 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 129% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.