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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $773 in South Tangerang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,141 in South Tangerang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,510 in South Tangerang.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, South Tangerang is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.53 Rp 45.1K

420.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$18.39 Rp 328.4K

193.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$3.44 Rp 61.5K

173.84%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.97 Rp 35.2K

80.20%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.49 Rp 8,669

230.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.28 Rp 5,060

296.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

11.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$4.22 Rp 75.4K

9.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.26 Rp 22.5K

34.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

154.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

114.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.62 Rp 28.8K

56.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.32 Rp 112.8K

58.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.25 Rp 58.0K

148.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$8.04 Rp 143.5K

44.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.95 Rp 52.6K

0.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.08 Rp 37.1K

-3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.65 Rp 29.4K

28.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$2.61 Rp 46.6K

-13.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.90 Rp 16.1K

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.42 Rp 7,473

169.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

69.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$21.45 Rp 383.0K

-27.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$3.13 Rp 55.8K

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.23 Rp 4,116

65.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$18.68 Rp 333.7K

2.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

146.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.35 Rp 6,170

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.57 Rp 45.9K

112.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.81 Rp 14.4K

60.49%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$25.1K Rp 448.2M

-25.55%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$33.0K Rp 588.6M

-29.83%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$68.5 Rp 1.2M

-40.37%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$5.97 Rp 106.7K

349.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$23.80 Rp 425.0K

25.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$34.26 Rp 611.9K

51.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$10.44 Rp 186.4K

157.09%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.13 Rp 55.9K

101.28%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$109 Rp 2.0M

298.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$7,628 Rp 136.2M

36.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$41.00 Rp 732.2K

38.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$30.56 Rp 545.7K

45.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$63.2 Rp 1.1M

62.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$65.3 Rp 1.2M

61.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$310 Rp 5.5M

229.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$242 Rp 4.3M

160.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$528 Rp 9.4M

304.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$369 Rp 6.6M

236.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,178 Rp 21.0M

231.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$770 Rp 13.7M

168.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$445 Rp 7.9M

150.51%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for South Tangerang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $310 in South Tangerang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 151% 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 $18.00 in South Tangerang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 ($1,467 vs $773 including rent). South Tangerang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 151% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $310 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 $436 in Mexico City versus $109 in South Tangerang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $773 in South Tangerang versus $1,467 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.