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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,009 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,377 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 159% more expensive than in Tanjung Balai Karimun, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Tanjung Balai Karimun is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.71 Rp 30.4K

597.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$886

$13.98 Rp 248.1K

269.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$3.26 Rp 57.8K

250.00%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.6

$1.58 Rp 28.1K

152.53%

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

$1.66 MX$28.48

$0.42 Rp 7,494

295.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.77

$0.23 Rp 4,056

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.6

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

43.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.83 Rp 68.0K

54.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.21

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

86.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.9

$0.95 Rp 16.8K

242.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.10

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

195.89%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.72

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

73.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$8.12 Rp 144.2K

58.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.62 Rp 46.5K

283.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$7.00 Rp 124.2K

126.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.6

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

42.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.44

$1.46 Rp 26.0K

37.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.76

$1.79 Rp 31.7K

22.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.44

$1.14 Rp 20.3K

107.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.27

$1.47 Rp 26.1K

39.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.64

$1.71 Rp 30.4K

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.98

$0.46 Rp 8,100

204.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.8

$2.65 Rp 47.0K

106.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$21.67 Rp 384.6K

-18.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.28

$2.02 Rp 35.8K

1.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.4

$3.32 Rp 58.9K

40.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.81

$0.30 Rp 5,316

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.99

$0.49 Rp 8,631

328.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.60

$0.35 Rp 6,146

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.8

$2.49 Rp 44.3K

133.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.56

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

98.77%

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

$22.8K MX$392.1K

$23.5K Rp 417.5M

-2.90%

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

$26.8K MX$459.2K

$29.7K Rp 527.1M

-9.93%

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

$65.2 MX$1,119

$63.5 Rp 1.1M

2.68%

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

$30.09 MX$517

$4.11 Rp 72.9K

632.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$638

$22.22 Rp 394.3K

67.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,026

$21.70 Rp 385.2K

175.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$456

$7.69 Rp 136.5K

245.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.61 Rp 46.3K

169.73%

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

$465 MX$7,976

$95.1 Rp 1.7M

388.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.8K

$8,545 Rp 151.7M

55.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,303

$41.76 Rp 741.1K

81.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$960

$27.37 Rp 485.8K

104.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,920

$74.1 Rp 1.3M

51.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,068

$74.7 Rp 1.3M

61.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

$232 Rp 4.1M

375.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$159 Rp 2.8M

352.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

$582 Rp 10.3M

334.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

$407 Rp 7.2M

218.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.5K

$1,101 Rp 19.5M

262.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.9K

$602 Rp 10.7M

246.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

9.46

19.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $232 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Tanjung Balai Karimun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $197 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 159% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $641 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 $2,489 in Mexico City and $962 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $232 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $95.1 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tanjung Balai Karimun – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $641 in Tanjung Balai Karimun versus $1,660 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 159% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.