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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $600 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $943 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,285 in Sibolga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 141% more expensive than Sibolga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Sibolga is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.52 Rp 27.3K

753.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$12.25 Rp 219.4K

329.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.34 Rp 59.8K

182.34%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.70 Rp 30.5K

110.00%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.55 Rp 9,781

192.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.26 Rp 4,610

342.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.02 Rp 54.0K

4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.60 Rp 46.5K

86.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

45.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.12 Rp 20.0K

135.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.92 Rp 16.5K

106.52%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

60.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$7.94 Rp 142.2K

26.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

257.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.04 Rp 162.0K

27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

31.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

17.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.86 Rp 33.3K

10.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.49 Rp 26.7K

38.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.71 Rp 12.7K

190.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

41.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.91 Rp 16.3K

53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.33 Rp 5,840

239.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

139.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$18.67 Rp 334.5K

-17.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.27 Rp 40.7K

-26.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

64.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.45 Rp 8,016

-15.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$9.91 Rp 177.6K

92.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

142.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.38 Rp 6,764

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

89.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

25.49%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$24.5K Rp 439.2M

-22.58%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$27.6K Rp 495.0M

-15.09%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$26.42 Rp 473.3K

55.26%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.27 Rp 76.4K

530.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.51 Rp 403.2K

31.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$23.14 Rp 414.5K

126.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.33 Rp 113.5K

314.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.14 Rp 56.2K

96.82%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$24.08 Rp 431.5K

1673.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,714 Rp 138.2M

38.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$15.47 Rp 277.2K

267.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$18.47 Rp 330.9K

142.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

59.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$73.9 Rp 1.3M

43.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$261 Rp 4.7M

281.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$156 Rp 2.8M

299.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$593 Rp 10.6M

258.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$335 Rp 6.0M

273.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,315 Rp 23.6M

196.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$764 Rp 13.7M

174.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $261 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $196 per month, with Sibolga 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 Sibolga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sibolga differ by about 141% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $600 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $901 in Sibolga to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $261 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sibolga runs roughly 92% 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 $24.08 in Sibolga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $600 in Sibolga versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sibolga but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sibolga 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 Sibolga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 141% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.