Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tanjung Balai Karimun Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tanjung Balai Karimun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $666 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,032 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,397 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 117% more expensive than Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Tanjung Balai Karimun is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

759.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$12.42 Rp 222.5K

323.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.48 Rp 62.3K

170.98%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.65 Rp 29.5K

116.36%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.51 Rp 9,139

215.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.28 Rp 5,075

310.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.44 Rp 43.7K

29.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.55 Rp 63.6K

36.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.13 Rp 20.2K

133.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.93 Rp 16.6K

104.30%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

66.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$8.02 Rp 143.7K

25.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.13 Rp 56.0K

164.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$7.78 Rp 139.3K

48.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.38 Rp 42.6K

27.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.44 Rp 25.8K

18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.88 Rp 33.6K

9.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.51 Rp 27.0K

36.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.37 Rp 24.5K

50.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.96 Rp 35.2K

10.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

57.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.41 Rp 7,386

173.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.56 Rp 45.9K

67.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$20.88 Rp 374.2K

-26.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.05 Rp 36.8K

-18.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$3.21 Rp 57.6K

14.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.32 Rp 5,773

18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$9.80 Rp 175.5K

94.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.53 Rp 9,514

160.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.35 Rp 6,239

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$2.90 Rp 52.0K

86.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

56.10%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$25.0K Rp 448.1M

-24.11%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$28.0K Rp 501.6M

-16.21%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$68.6 Rp 1.2M

-40.24%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.25 Rp 76.1K

533.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

30.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$23.17 Rp 415.0K

125.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

330.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.98 Rp 53.4K

107.38%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$94.0 Rp 1.7M

354.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,511 Rp 134.6M

42.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$42.25 Rp 757.0K

34.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$31.28 Rp 560.4K

43.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$67.0 Rp 1.2M

56.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$73.5 Rp 1.3M

44.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$257 Rp 4.6M

287.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$158 Rp 2.8M

293.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$582 Rp 10.4M

265.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$333 Rp 6.0M

276.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,219 Rp 21.8M

220.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$787 Rp 14.1M

166.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.15

23.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $257 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $207 per month, with Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tanjung Balai Karimun differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $666 including rent). Tanjung Balai Karimun is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $999 in Tanjung Balai Karimun to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $257 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tanjung Balai Karimun runs roughly 94% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $94.0 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $666 in Tanjung Balai Karimun versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tanjung Balai Karimun but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tanjung Balai Karimun 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 Tanjung Balai Karimun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.