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: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $620 in Sibolga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $972 in Sibolga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $1,324 in Sibolga.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 171% more expensive than in Sibolga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Sibolga is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$1.32 Rp 23.5K

796.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$11.56 Rp 205.5K

351.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$3.45 Rp 61.2K

215.07%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$1.35 Rp 24.1K

198.52%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.39 Rp 6,847

338.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.25 Rp 4,472

436.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

45.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$3.63 Rp 64.4K

58.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.29 Rp 23.0K

46.51%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.12 Rp 19.9K

183.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$0.81 Rp 14.5K

153.09%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

94.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$8.04 Rp 142.9K

56.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$2.56 Rp 45.5K

288.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$8.97 Rp 159.4K

78.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$2.28 Rp 40.6K

43.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

83.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.72 Rp 30.5K

21.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

89.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$1.44 Rp 25.6K

42.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$1.81 Rp 32.2K

3.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.90 Rp 16.0K

74.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.40 Rp 7,140

247.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.81 Rp 50.0K

91.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$17.98 Rp 319.7K

-0.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

64.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.31 Rp 5,476

16.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.45 Rp 8,086

357.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.33 Rp 5,830

69.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$2.83 Rp 50.3K

105.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.67 Rp 11.9K

129.85%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$25.5K Rp 452.6M

-11.80%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$35.3K Rp 626.7M

-24.90%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$65.5 Rp 1.2M

0.70%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$4.97 Rp 88.4K

523.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$21.79 Rp 387.3K

66.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$17.91 Rp 318.3K

221.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$8.44 Rp 150.1K

216.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$3.14 Rp 55.9K

127.07%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$82.6 Rp 1.5M

452.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$7,811 Rp 138.8M

69.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$36.73 Rp 652.8K

106.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$27.90 Rp 495.9K

93.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$62.6 Rp 1.1M

86.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$61.3 Rp 1.1M

98.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$209 Rp 3.7M

447.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$145 Rp 2.6M

399.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$508 Rp 9.0M

392.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$326 Rp 5.8M

307.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$1,236 Rp 22.0M

215.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$619 Rp 11.0M

247.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

9.67

17.37%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sibolga: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $209 in Sibolga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Sibolga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 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 171% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $620 including rent). Sibolga is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,523 in Mexico City and $930 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $209 in Sibolga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Mexico City versus $82.6 in Sibolga. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sibolga – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $620 in Sibolga versus $1,682 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 171% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.