Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and South Tangerang Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and South Tangerang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $684 in South Tangerang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,040 in South Tangerang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,396 in South Tangerang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 143% more expensive than in South Tangerang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, South Tangerang is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

618.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$14.36 Rp 254.2K

259.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

242.64%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.58 Rp 27.9K

152.53%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.46 Rp 8,163

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 Rp 4,056

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.71 Rp 48.0K

28.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.10 Rp 54.8K

90.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.25 Rp 22.2K

50.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.00 Rp 17.8K

225.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

151.16%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.70 Rp 30.1K

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.35 Rp 130.2K

74.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.14 Rp 55.6K

220.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.79 Rp 137.9K

103.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.97 Rp 52.6K

10.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.24 Rp 22.0K

62.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.05 Rp 36.3K

7.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

85.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.36 Rp 24.0K

50.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.18 Rp 38.7K

-12.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

98.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.48 Rp 8,530

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.75 Rp 48.7K

98.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$21.20 Rp 375.4K

-16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.99 Rp 35.2K

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$3.15 Rp 55.8K

48.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.22 Rp 3,880

54.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$17.26 Rp 305.6K

20.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.49 Rp 8,710

328.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.32 Rp 5,732

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.29 Rp 40.6K

153.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.78 Rp 13.7K

106.41%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$22.7K Rp 402.1M

0.58%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$33.5K Rp 594.0M

-20.26%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$53.6 Rp 948.9K

21.63%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$6.11 Rp 108.3K

392.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.62 Rp 347.5K

89.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$26.60 Rp 471.0K

124.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$9.67 Rp 171.3K

174.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

142.76%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$120 Rp 2.1M

286.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,452 Rp 149.7M

57.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$40.27 Rp 713.0K

88.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$29.41 Rp 520.8K

90.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

50.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$72.6 Rp 1.3M

65.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$214 Rp 3.8M

416.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$170 Rp 3.0M

323.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$379 Rp 6.7M

568.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$309 Rp 5.5M

318.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,199 Rp 21.2M

232.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$969 Rp 17.2M

115.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$446 Rp 7.9M

132.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for South Tangerang: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $214 in South Tangerang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 133% 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 $14.00 in South Tangerang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $207 per month, with South Tangerang 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 South Tangerang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and South Tangerang differ by about 143% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $684 including rent). South Tangerang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 133% 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 $214 in South Tangerang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in South Tangerang runs roughly 21% 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 $120 in South Tangerang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $684 in South Tangerang versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in South Tangerang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes South Tangerang 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 South Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 143% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.