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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $688 in Surabaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,205 in Surabaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,722 in Surabaya.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 139% more expensive than in Surabaya, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Surabaya is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

629.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

358.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

236.42%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

159.62%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.56 Rp 9,841

207.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.26 Rp 4,572

430.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

54.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

32.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

52.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

140.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

143.02%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

140.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

60.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

241.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

101.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

63.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

60.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

17.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

61.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

59.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

-1.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

67.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.40 Rp 7,050

237.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

177.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

21.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

64.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.36 Rp 6,271

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.47 Rp 8,334

334.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.47 Rp 8,293

23.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

121.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

102.50%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

-7.66%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

-19.42%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

-26.63%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

518.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

84.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

228.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

308.26%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

158.49%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$286 Rp 5.0M

58.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

37.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

5.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

40.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

39.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

63.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$290 Rp 5.1M

291.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$150 Rp 2.6M

376.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

101.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$618 Rp 10.9M

112.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

78.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

95.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$277 Rp 4.9M

277.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

7.5

50.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $290 in Surabaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 278% 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 $11.00 in Surabaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $211 per month, with Surabaya 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 Surabaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Surabaya differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $688 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 278% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $290 in Surabaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $286 in Surabaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surabaya – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in Surabaya versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surabaya but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.