Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Setia Alam

For one person, living is cheaper in Setia Alam: $904 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
44

Cost of Living Index in Setia Alam
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Setia Alam Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Setia Alam

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$904

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Setia Alam

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Setia Alam actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $904 in Setia Alam.

Mexico City $1,608
Setia Alam $904

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,353 in Setia Alam.

Mexico City $2,549
Setia Alam $1,353

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $1,801 in Setia Alam.

Mexico City $3,490
Setia Alam $1,801

Living in Mexico City is roughly 78% more expensive than in Setia Alam, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Setia Alam is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$200

$4.75 MYR 19.28

123.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$909

$24.61 MYR 99.8

96.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$194

$4.98 MYR 20.18

107.83%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$69.4

$2.79 MYR 11.32

32.26%

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

$1.67 MX$31.32

$0.77 MYR 3.10

116.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.78

$0.45 MYR 1.84

182.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$60.0

$4.40 MYR 17.83

-27.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$99.7

$6.03 MYR 24.46

-11.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.41

$1.48 MYR 6.02

16.22%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$57.1

$0.72 MYR 2.91

322.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.48

$0.59 MYR 2.40

228.81%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$54.3

$1.15 MYR 4.67

151.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$206

$13.91 MYR 56.4

-21.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$174

$2.51 MYR 10.18

268.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$284

$2.51 MYR 10.18

502.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$57.3

$1.19 MYR 4.83

156.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.48

$1.85 MYR 7.51

4.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$38.06

$1.24 MYR 5.04

63.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.50

$1.21 MYR 4.89

90.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$38.25

$0.69 MYR 2.81

195.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.83

$0.70 MYR 2.83

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.80

$0.70 MYR 2.85

111.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.82

$0.72 MYR 2.91

76.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$99.7

$4.18 MYR 16.93

26.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$303

$19.78 MYR 80.2

-18.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$37.27

$3.49 MYR 14.15

-43.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.9

$4.99 MYR 20.23

-14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.73

$0.75 MYR 3.03

-58.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$371

$12.39 MYR 50.2

59.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.53

$1.21 MYR 4.89

52.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$10.03

$1.21 MYR 4.90

-56.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$99.5

$4.77 MYR 19.32

11.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.39

$0.49 MYR 1.98

208.16%

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

$21.8K MX$408.8K

$39.5K MYR 159.9K

-44.86%

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

$24.0K MX$450.8K

$33.4K MYR 135.2K

-28.09%

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

$63.0 MX$1,184

$61.0 MYR 247

3.25%

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

$27.39 MX$515

$8.67 MYR 35.14

215.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$670

$25.85 MYR 105

37.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,108

$51.1 MYR 207

15.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$444

$6.74 MYR 27.33

250.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$120

$5.00 MYR 20.26

28.00%

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

$432 MX$8,111

$235 MYR 951

83.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$214.7K

$7,890 MYR 32.0K

44.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,282

$72.5 MYR 294

-5.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$999

$26.70 MYR 108

98.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,026

$53.5 MYR 217

101.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,204

$36.15 MYR 147

224.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.9K

$522 MYR 2,116

113.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.4K

$313 MYR 1,269

126.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.6K

$843 MYR 3,418

206.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.4K

$544 MYR 2,207

158.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$68.2K

$2,033 MYR 8,242

78.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$40.1K

$1,188 MYR 4,816

79.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.8K

$1,152 MYR 4,670

-17.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

183.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Setia Alam: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Setia Alam

$313 34.7% 55.9% $397

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Setia Alam

$201 22.2% 37.2% $119

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Setia Alam

$125 13.9% 36.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Setia Alam

$85 9.4% 45.5% $71

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Setia Alam

$96 10.6% 24.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Setia Alam

$61 6.8% 14.8% $11

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Setia Alam

$23 2.5% 11.1% $2.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $522 in Setia Alam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Setia Alam pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $25 in Setia Alam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $201 per month, with Setia Alam cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇲🇾 Setia Alam

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

13:01 1:01 PM

14 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

150,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.32 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

1 MYR = 0.247 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MYR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18.79 MXN (100 MXN = 5.32 USD). 1 EUR = 20.98 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4.05 MYR (1 MYR = 0.247 USD). 1 EUR = 4.53 MYR (1 MYR = 0.221 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Setia Alam 16,650 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Setia Alam

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Setia Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $904 in Setia Alam, so Setia Alam is about 44% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 18% lower in Mexico City. 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: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $522 in Setia Alam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Setia Alam runs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $235 in Setia Alam. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $800. Setia Alam is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 Setia Alam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.