Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sungai Petani Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Sungai Petani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $883 in Sungai Petani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,334 in Sungai Petani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,785 in Sungai Petani.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.61 MYR 14.72

230.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$19.99 MYR 81.6

158.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.56 MYR 18.62

150.22%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.75 MYR 7.13

128.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.77 MYR 3.14

115.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.38 MYR 1.57

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$4.26 MYR 17.38

-18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.00 MYR 12.26

96.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.85 MYR 7.56

1.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.09 MYR 4.44

198.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.75 MYR 7.16

23.43%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.20 MYR 8.97

31.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$9.48 MYR 38.68

35.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.35 MYR 17.78

131.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$8.60 MYR 35.09

84.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.90 MYR 11.82

13.45%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.73 MYR 7.08

16.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$2.49 MYR 10.15

-11.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.43 MYR 5.83

65.03%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.07 MYR 4.37

91.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.15 MYR 4.71

65.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.10 MYR 4.49

46.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.58 MYR 2.37

141.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$4.38 MYR 17.90

24.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$19.52 MYR 79.7

-9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-32.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$4.00 MYR 16.33

17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.77 MYR 3.16

-55.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$12.47 MYR 50.9

66.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.74 MYR 7.12

20.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.41 MYR 1.66

36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.19 MYR 29.34

-19.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.48 MYR 1.97

235.42%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

-46.09%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$34.4K MYR 140.6K

-22.34%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$36.98 MYR 151

76.26%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$10.10 MYR 41.25

197.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$19.78 MYR 80.7

87.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$40.50 MYR 165

47.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$6.49 MYR 26.51

309.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.98 MYR 12.16

136.24%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$425 MYR 1,735

9.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

22.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$60.2 MYR 246

26.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$34.80 MYR 142

60.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$74.7 MYR 305

49.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$68.8 MYR 281

75.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$411 MYR 1,679

168.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$309 MYR 1,260

133.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$690 MYR 2,817

266.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$491 MYR 2,005

163.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,045 MYR 8,349

95.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,136 MYR 4,640

83.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$501 MYR 2,047

106.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.24

166.51%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $411 in Sungai Petani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 107% 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 Sungai Petani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $242 per month, with Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sungai Petani differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $883 including rent). Sungai Petani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 107% 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 $411 in Sungai Petani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sungai Petani runs roughly 67% 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 $425 in Sungai Petani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $883 in Sungai Petani versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sungai Petani but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani 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.