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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $814 in Putrajaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,208 in Putrajaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,602 in Putrajaya.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than Putrajaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Putrajaya is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.47 MYR 14.08

274.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$19.15 MYR 77.7

174.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.66 MYR 18.89

102.36%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.86 MYR 11.61

24.83%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.74 MYR 3.01

117.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.37 MYR 1.50

210.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.56 MYR 14.42

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$4.54 MYR 18.41

7.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.74 MYR 7.04

-2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.79 MYR 3.22

234.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.26 MYR 5.10

50.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.84 MYR 7.45

38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.50 MYR 26.36

55.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.43 MYR 17.96

87.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.40 MYR 38.11

23.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$3.22 MYR 13.07

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.34 MYR 5.44

27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$3.10 MYR 12.58

-33.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.56 MYR 6.32

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.53 MYR 6.20

34.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.82 MYR 7.38

19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.58 MYR 6.41

-11.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.52 MYR 2.10

115.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.36 MYR 17.66

-1.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$14.31 MYR 58.0

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.76 MYR 11.18

-39.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.93 MYR 11.89

25.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.68 MYR 2.75

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.59 MYR 46.99

64.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.92 MYR 3.74

50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.02 MYR 4.15

-72.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.81 MYR 23.56

-6.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.49 MYR 2.00

161.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$35.0K MYR 141.9K

-45.77%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$38.1K MYR 154.4K

-38.39%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$46.17 MYR 187

-11.15%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.82 MYR 35.76

205.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.27 MYR 90.3

33.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$38.22 MYR 155

36.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$8.96 MYR 36.35

192.75%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.92 MYR 19.95

25.61%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$188 MYR 762

127.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,937 MYR 28.1K

54.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$63.6 MYR 258

-10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$18.96 MYR 76.9

136.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$73.2 MYR 297

42.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$40.18 MYR 163

163.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$337 MYR 1,368

194.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$235 MYR 954

163.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$637 MYR 2,583

233.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$373 MYR 1,511

236.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,047 MYR 8,299

90.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,452 MYR 5,887

44.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,266 MYR 5,135

-12.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $337 in Putrajaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Putrajaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $221 per month, with Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Putrajaya differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $814 including rent). Putrajaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Putrajaya earns 14% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $337 in Putrajaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Putrajaya runs roughly 64% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $188 in Putrajaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $814 in Putrajaya versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Putrajaya but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.