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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $527 in Surakarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $849 in Surakarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,172 in Surakarta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 215% more expensive than in Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Surakarta is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

618.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

342.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

263.38%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

150.94%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.49 Rp 8,756

238.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 Rp 4,051

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

142.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

103.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

106.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

333.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

180.52%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

187.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

60.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

474.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

196.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

55.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

58.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

13.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

61.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

48.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

13.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

177.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.41 Rp 7,247

241.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

173.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

105.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

18.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

60.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.39 Rp 6,862

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

-8.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.51 Rp 9,109

311.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.47 Rp 8,269

19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

115.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

120.55%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

-10.22%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

-20.08%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

-19.80%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

1360.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

96.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

270.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

210.16%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

252.00%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

1282.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

608.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

28.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

51.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

56.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

78.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$167 Rp 3.0M

559.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

1164.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$341 Rp 6.0M

642.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$197 Rp 3.5M

556.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$163 Rp 2.9M

536.76%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $167 in Surakarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 537% 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 $12.00 in Surakarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $152 per month, with Surakarta 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 Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Surakarta differ by about 215% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $527 including rent). Surakarta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 537% 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 $167 in Surakarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surakarta runs roughly 9% 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 $33.61 in Surakarta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $527 in Surakarta versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surakarta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surakarta 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 Surakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.