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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $653 in Tanjung Pinang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,017 in Tanjung Pinang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,380 in Tanjung Pinang.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 154% more expensive than in Tanjung Pinang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Tanjung Pinang is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.45 Rp 61.2K

245.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$14.16 Rp 250.8K

264.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$3.19 Rp 56.6K

257.68%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.69 Rp 29.9K

136.09%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.47 Rp 8,290

253.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.23 Rp 4,055

478.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$2.21 Rp 39.1K

57.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

73.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

57.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

151.16%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

93.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.55 Rp 133.8K

70.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.02 Rp 53.4K

232.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$7.03 Rp 124.4K

125.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

40.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.35 Rp 24.0K

48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.49 Rp 26.3K

47.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.32 Rp 23.4K

78.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

49.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.07 Rp 36.7K

-8.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

87.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.39 Rp 6,935

258.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.71 Rp 47.9K

101.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$23.23 Rp 411.4K

-24.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

19.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.89 Rp 51.1K

61.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.25 Rp 4,382

36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

262.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.32 Rp 5,653

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

104.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.70 Rp 12.3K

130.00%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$20.6K Rp 365.6M

10.64%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$33.1K Rp 586.9M

-19.29%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$63.9 Rp 1.1M

2.08%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$4.19 Rp 74.1K

618.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$22.04 Rp 390.2K

68.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$20.00 Rp 354.1K

198.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.67 Rp 135.8K

246.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$2.90 Rp 51.3K

142.76%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$83.5 Rp 1.5M

456.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$8,046 Rp 142.5M

64.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$38.41 Rp 680.1K

97.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$29.54 Rp 523.0K

89.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

43.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$76.5 Rp 1.4M

57.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$215 Rp 3.8M

412.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$141 Rp 2.5M

412.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$577 Rp 10.2M

338.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$330 Rp 5.8M

292.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,200 Rp 21.2M

232.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$672 Rp 11.9M

211.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$201 Rp 3.6M

416.73%

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 Pinang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $215 in Tanjung Pinang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 417% 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 $14.00 in Tanjung Pinang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $201 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 154% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $653 including rent). Tanjung Pinang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 417% 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 $215 in Tanjung Pinang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $83.5 in Tanjung Pinang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tanjung Pinang – 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 $653 in Tanjung Pinang versus $1,660 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 154% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.