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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $775 in South Tangerang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,146 in South Tangerang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,518 in South Tangerang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 90% more expensive than in South Tangerang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, South Tangerang is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$2.39 Rp 43.2K

449.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$18.76 Rp 338.7K

185.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.28 Rp 59.2K

184.45%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

88.78%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.52 Rp 9,401

207.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.28 Rp 5,088

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.70 Rp 48.7K

16.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$4.42 Rp 79.7K

9.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

26.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

155.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

103.19%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.63 Rp 29.5K

58.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$6.49 Rp 117.2K

51.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.24 Rp 58.4K

160.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.89 Rp 142.5K

51.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.80 Rp 50.6K

5.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.55 Rp 28.0K

12.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$2.01 Rp 36.3K

1.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

32.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.62 Rp 29.2K

32.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$2.62 Rp 47.3K

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.90 Rp 16.3K

54.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.45 Rp 8,214

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.49 Rp 45.0K

69.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$21.22 Rp 383.0K

-17.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.08 Rp 55.5K

17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.21 Rp 3,790

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$18.70 Rp 337.5K

3.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.58 Rp 10.4K

137.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.35 Rp 6,302

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.49 Rp 44.9K

112.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.75 Rp 13.6K

81.33%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$25.1K Rp 453.3M

-23.92%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$32.6K Rp 588.1M

-27.54%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

-42.31%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$6.16 Rp 111.2K

344.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$23.11 Rp 417.1K

31.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$33.47 Rp 604.3K

56.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$10.17 Rp 183.5K

160.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.99 Rp 53.9K

107.02%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$113 Rp 2.0M

277.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,714 Rp 139.3M

39.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$41.85 Rp 755.4K

39.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$30.15 Rp 544.2K

47.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$63.2 Rp 1.1M

63.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$64.0 Rp 1.2M

69.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$303 Rp 5.5M

235.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$250 Rp 4.5M

148.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$532 Rp 9.6M

298.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$370 Rp 6.7M

230.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,160 Rp 20.9M

226.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$764 Rp 13.8M

176.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$438 Rp 7.9M

140.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.59

18.25%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for South Tangerang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $303 in South Tangerang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 140% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in South Tangerang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $211 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 90% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $775 including rent). South Tangerang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 140% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $303 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 3% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $113 in South Tangerang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $775 in South Tangerang versus $1,472 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 90% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.