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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $652 in Semarang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,022 in Semarang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,391 in Semarang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 125% more expensive than Semarang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Semarang is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.80 Rp 32.3K

632.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$12.32 Rp 220.9K

337.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.69 Rp 66.1K

155.28%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

136.67%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.52 Rp 9,352

211.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.27 Rp 4,833

311.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.99 Rp 35.6K

56.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.01 Rp 53.9K

53.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$1.03 Rp 18.5K

164.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

138.75%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

67.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.11 Rp 109.5K

64.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.93 Rp 52.6K

176.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.73 Rp 156.5K

33.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.59 Rp 46.4K

14.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.88 Rp 33.7K

6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

28.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.30 Rp 23.3K

63.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.88 Rp 33.8K

20.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.41 Rp 7,300

175.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

88.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$14.10 Rp 252.7K

10.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$2.58 Rp 46.3K

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.88 Rp 51.5K

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.26 Rp 4,661

46.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$13.11 Rp 234.9K

46.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

48.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.31 Rp 5,634

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$2.88 Rp 51.6K

89.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

51.16%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$24.5K Rp 439.9M

-23.85%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$31.2K Rp 558.6M

-25.77%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

-56.52%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

878.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$23.89 Rp 428.2K

25.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$23.84 Rp 427.4K

118.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$5.06 Rp 90.6K

430.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.05 Rp 54.6K

106.56%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$44.50 Rp 797.7K

880.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$2,399 Rp 43.0M

334.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$37.42 Rp 670.8K

51.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$32.67 Rp 585.6K

35.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$66.9 Rp 1.2M

53.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$43.76 Rp 784.5K

141.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$255 Rp 4.6M

300.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$154 Rp 2.8M

310.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$536 Rp 9.6M

298.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$413 Rp 7.4M

200.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,187 Rp 21.3M

228.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$564 Rp 10.1M

266.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$184 Rp 3.3M

507.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

7.83

44.83%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Semarang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $255 in Semarang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 507% 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 $12.00 in Semarang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $190 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 125% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $652 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 507% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $255 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 46% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $44.50 in Semarang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $652 in Semarang versus $1,467 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 125% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.