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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $581 in Semarang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $928 in Semarang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,274 in Semarang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 188% more expensive than in Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Semarang is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

737.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

411.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

253.18%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

230.65%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.49 Rp 8,635

242.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.18 Rp 3,148

672.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

90.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

71.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

65.18%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

230.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

162.03%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

112.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

122.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

328.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

97.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

34.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

35.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

17.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

54.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

18.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

-9.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

86.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.42 Rp 7,375

223.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

155.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

25.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

-11.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

70.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.24 Rp 4,246

54.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

47.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

130.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.29 Rp 5,129

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

93.75%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

-0.58%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

-12.44%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

-0.97%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

1038.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

79.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

192.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

469.75%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

220.27%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

1013.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

513.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

158.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

93.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

96.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

204.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$229 Rp 4.0M

401.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$143 Rp 2.5M

395.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$496 Rp 8.7M

420.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$394 Rp 6.9M

228.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

240.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$557 Rp 9.8M

282.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$196 Rp 3.5M

451.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.83

44.32%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $229 in Semarang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 452% 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 $11.00 in Semarang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $183 per month, with Semarang 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 Semarang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Semarang differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $581 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 452% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $229 in Semarang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Semarang runs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $40.97 in Semarang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $581 in Semarang versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Semarang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.