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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $884 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,308 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,733 in Sibu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 88% more expensive than in Sibu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sibu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.18 MYR 8.91

446.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$19.54 MYR 79.8

164.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.20 MYR 17.16

171.67%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.36 MYR 9.65

69.07%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.67 MYR 2.73

147.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.24 MYR 0.98

454.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.02 MYR 12.32

14.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$4.30 MYR 17.55

37.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.77 MYR 7.23

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.84 MYR 3.41

286.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.31 MYR 5.34

64.89%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.97 MYR 8.06

47.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$15.04 MYR 61.4

-14.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.22 MYR 17.22

138.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$10.14 MYR 41.40

56.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$3.24 MYR 13.24

1.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.84 MYR 7.53

9.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-19.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.50 MYR 6.13

57.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.26 MYR 5.12

62.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.20 MYR 4.90

58.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.08 MYR 4.41

49.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.50 MYR 2.05

180.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.52 MYR 18.45

20.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$20.54 MYR 83.9

-14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$3.00 MYR 12.23

-31.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.66 MYR 14.93

27.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.66 MYR 2.69

-48.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$14.00 MYR 57.2

48.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.31 MYR 5.33

60.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.44 MYR 1.80

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$8.43 MYR 34.41

-31.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.66 MYR 2.71

143.94%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

-36.53%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

-24.04%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$49.25 MYR 201

32.35%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$7.19 MYR 29.34

318.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$26.77 MYR 109

38.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$27.76 MYR 113

115.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$6.44 MYR 26.30

312.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.65 MYR 14.89

92.88%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$180 MYR 735

158.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

169.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$61.3 MYR 250

23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$36.18 MYR 148

54.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$93.0 MYR 380

20.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$69.4 MYR 283

73.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$416 MYR 1,696

165.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$359 MYR 1,466

100.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$784 MYR 3,201

222.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$449 MYR 1,832

188.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,916 MYR 7,822

108.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,147 MYR 4,682

82.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$499 MYR 2,037

107.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.2

169.05%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $416 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 108% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $20.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $261 per month, with Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sibu differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $884 including rent). Sibu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 108% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $416 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $180 in Sibu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $884 in Sibu versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Sibu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.