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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $668 in Samarinda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,042 in Samarinda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,417 in Samarinda.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 149% more expensive than in Samarinda, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Samarinda is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

613.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

257.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

242.64%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

164.24%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.45 Rp 8,041

268.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 Rp 4,096

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

66.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

74.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

277.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

227.27%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

97.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

68.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

180.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

55.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

-35.99%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

79.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

96.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

63.89%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

54.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

120.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.56 Rp 9,912

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

161.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

-15.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

58.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.31 Rp 5,563

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.50 Rp 8,867

320.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.29 Rp 5,160

93.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

96.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

98.77%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

-12.88%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

-12.62%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

-6.30%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

532.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

88.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

197.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

258.30%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

154.15%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

370.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

97.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

83.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

87.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

49.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

51.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$198 Rp 3.5M

455.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$135 Rp 2.4M

432.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$483 Rp 8.5M

424.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$358 Rp 6.3M

261.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

249.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$687 Rp 12.2M

204.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$340 Rp 6.0M

205.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $198 in Samarinda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 205% 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 $14.00 in Samarinda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $217 per month, with Samarinda 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 Samarinda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Samarinda differ by about 149% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $668 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 205% 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 $198 in Samarinda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $98.8 in Samarinda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samarinda – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Samarinda versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda 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 Samarinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.