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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $865 in Tawau.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,320 in Tawau.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,776 in Tawau.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 67% more expensive than Tawau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Tawau is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.63 MYR 14.72

257.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$18.66 MYR 75.7

181.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.06 MYR 16.46

132.27%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.23 MYR 9.03

60.09%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.77 MYR 3.13

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.40 MYR 1.62

187.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.29 MYR 9.29

37.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$3.39 MYR 13.75

43.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.60 MYR 6.49

6.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.31 MYR 5.30

101.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.68 MYR 6.83

13.10%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.04 MYR 8.29

24.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$14.84 MYR 60.2

-32.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.26 MYR 17.27

94.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$9.70 MYR 39.33

19.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.99 MYR 12.13

1.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.48 MYR 5.99

15.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$2.62 MYR 10.62

-21.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.39 MYR 5.64

48.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.24 MYR 5.05

66.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.26 MYR 5.12

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.00 MYR 4.07

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.55 MYR 2.23

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$4.20 MYR 17.02

2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$19.12 MYR 77.5

-19.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$2.75 MYR 11.17

-39.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.91 MYR 11.82

26.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.68 MYR 2.76

-44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$11.97 MYR 48.52

59.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.16 MYR 4.70

18.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.04 MYR 4.21

-73.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$6.04 MYR 24.50

-10.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.49 MYR 1.99

161.22%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$35.9K MYR 145.8K

-47.20%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$31.3K MYR 127.1K

-25.14%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$43.00 MYR 174

-4.60%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$8.93 MYR 36.21

201.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$29.39 MYR 119

1.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$36.21 MYR 147

44.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.73 MYR 23.25

357.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.90 MYR 11.74

113.10%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$187 MYR 757

128.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,040 MYR 28.5K

51.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$59.7 MYR 242

-4.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$27.46 MYR 111

63.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$73.5 MYR 298

42.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$50.5 MYR 205

109.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$391 MYR 1,584

154.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$268 MYR 1,087

131.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$643 MYR 2,609

230.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$468 MYR 1,897

167.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,168 MYR 8,790

80.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$985 MYR 3,993

112.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$421 MYR 1,708

162.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.07

178.62%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Tawau: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $391 in Tawau. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 163% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Tawau for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $255 per month, with Tawau 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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tawau differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $865 including rent). Tawau is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 163% more on average, 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $391 in Tawau. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tawau runs roughly 59% 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 $187 in Tawau. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in Tawau versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tawau but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tawau 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Tawau are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Tawau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.