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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $787 in Tangerang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,290 in Tangerang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,794 in Tangerang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 85% more expensive than in Tangerang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Tangerang is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$1.57 Rp 28.1K

732.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$18.76 Rp 337.1K

186.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$3.49 Rp 62.7K

177.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

116.18%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.57 Rp 10.2K

184.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.26 Rp 4,642

346.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

18.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.50 Rp 63.0K

35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.18 Rp 21.1K

39.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.94 Rp 16.9K

98.94%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

56.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.34 Rp 167.9K

9.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.12 Rp 56.1K

164.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.69 Rp 138.2K

53.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.45 Rp 26.0K

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

-11.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

27.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.46 Rp 26.3K

42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

-16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.05 Rp 18.9K

39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.46 Rp 8,194

134.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

53.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$20.61 Rp 370.4K

-17.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.32 Rp 41.7K

-25.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$3.17 Rp 57.0K

12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.30 Rp 5,326

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$8.34 Rp 149.9K

124.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.56 Rp 10.1K

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.46 Rp 8,252

-39.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.45 Rp 44.0K

114.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

59.52%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$30.8K Rp 553.7M

-37.00%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$27.8K Rp 500.0M

-14.34%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$90.4 Rp 1.6M

-54.97%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$4.55 Rp 81.7K

490.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$22.52 Rp 404.6K

35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$19.44 Rp 349.4K

171.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.53 Rp 207.3K

131.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$3.15 Rp 56.5K

106.67%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$103 Rp 1.9M

313.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,952 Rp 142.9M

32.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$42.03 Rp 755.2K

36.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$30.54 Rp 548.8K

48.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$72.3 Rp 1.3M

43.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

38.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$507 Rp 9.1M

97.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$242 Rp 4.3M

157.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,073 Rp 19.3M

96.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$647 Rp 11.6M

88.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,328 Rp 23.9M

192.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$498 Rp 8.9M

308.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$274 Rp 4.9M

279.39%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Tangerang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $507 in Tangerang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 279% 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 Tangerang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $217 per month, with 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 Tangerang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tangerang differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $787 including rent). Tangerang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 279% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $507 in Tangerang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tangerang runs roughly 124% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $103 in Tangerang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $787 in Tangerang versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tangerang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes 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 Tangerang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.