Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tanjung Pinang Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Tanjung Pinang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $690 in Tanjung Pinang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,061 in Tanjung Pinang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,431 in Tanjung Pinang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 113% more expensive than in Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Tanjung Pinang is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.70 Rp 66.9K

255.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$12.17 Rp 219.7K

339.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

181.02%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.73 Rp 31.2K

113.87%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.55 Rp 9,880

190.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.28 Rp 5,117

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.42 Rp 43.8K

29.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$3.52 Rp 63.5K

37.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.22 Rp 22.1K

35.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$1.13 Rp 20.4K

139.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$0.95 Rp 17.1K

101.05%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.37 Rp 24.7K

89.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$8.36 Rp 150.9K

17.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.06 Rp 55.3K

175.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$7.80 Rp 140.8K

52.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.51 Rp 27.2K

15.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

13.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

35.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

54.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.89 Rp 34.0K

19.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

47.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.42 Rp 7,502

166.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.96 Rp 35.3K

115.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$22.25 Rp 401.7K

-21.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$2.05 Rp 37.1K

-16.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$3.13 Rp 56.4K

15.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.32 Rp 5,845

9.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$9.65 Rp 174.3K

100.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.56 Rp 10.2K

146.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.34 Rp 6,220

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$2.93 Rp 52.9K

80.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

83.78%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$24.4K Rp 441.0M

-21.79%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$27.8K Rp 501.6M

-15.04%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$69.9 Rp 1.3M

-42.04%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$4.31 Rp 77.9K

535.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$22.67 Rp 409.2K

34.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$23.17 Rp 418.3K

125.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$5.98 Rp 108.0K

342.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.60 Rp 46.9K

138.08%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$93.9 Rp 1.7M

352.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$7,694 Rp 138.9M

39.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$41.22 Rp 744.2K

41.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$31.02 Rp 559.9K

43.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$68.0 Rp 1.2M

52.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$75.0 Rp 1.4M

44.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$258 Rp 4.7M

292.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$155 Rp 2.8M

302.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$595 Rp 10.7M

255.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$333 Rp 6.0M

267.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,232 Rp 22.2M

207.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$682 Rp 12.3M

209.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$194 Rp 3.5M

443.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

6.5

74.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Pinang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $258 in Tanjung Pinang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 443% 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 $12.00 in Tanjung Pinang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $210 per month, with Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tanjung Pinang differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $690 including rent). Tanjung Pinang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 443% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $258 in Tanjung Pinang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tanjung Pinang runs roughly 100% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $93.9 in Tanjung Pinang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $690 in Tanjung Pinang versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tanjung Pinang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tanjung Pinang 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 Pinang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.