Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ulu Tiram Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ulu Tiram

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $939 in Ulu Tiram.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,364 in Ulu Tiram.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,789 in Ulu Tiram.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 77% more expensive than in Ulu Tiram, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Ulu Tiram is 31% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.92 MX$205
$3.74 MYR 15.32
218.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.6 MX$886
$21.40 MYR 87.6
141.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.41 MX$196
$4.90 MYR 20.06
132.86%
Cappuccino
$3.99 MX$68.6
$2.97 MYR 12.17
34.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 MX$28.48
$0.78 MYR 3.18
112.82%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33 MX$22.77
$0.45 MYR 1.84
195.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.47 MX$59.6
$4.55 MYR 18.62
-23.74%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90 MX$101
$6.29 MYR 25.75
-6.20%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.88 MX$32.21
$1.70 MYR 6.97
10.59%
White Bread (500g)
$3.25 MX$55.9
$1.03 MYR 4.22
215.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.16 MX$37.10
$1.44 MYR 5.88
50.00%
Eggs
$2.90 MX$49.72
$1.75 MYR 7.16
65.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.86 MX$221
$9.70 MYR 39.69
32.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.05 MX$173
$4.22 MYR 17.25
138.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.86 MX$272
$9.63 MYR 39.40
64.69%
Apples (1kg)
$3.29 MX$56.6
$3.34 MYR 13.67
-1.50%
Banana (1kg)
$2.01 MX$34.44
$1.75 MYR 7.15
14.86%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.20 MX$37.76
$2.66 MYR 10.88
-17.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.44
$1.62 MYR 6.62
45.68%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 MX$35.27
$1.46 MYR 5.98
40.41%
Onion (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.64
$1.68 MYR 6.89
13.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.61 MX$27.55
$1.38 MYR 5.65
16.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.98
$0.55 MYR 2.26
154.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46 MX$93.8
$4.35 MYR 17.81
25.52%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.65 MX$303
$16.96 MYR 69.4
4.07%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06 MX$35.28
$2.97 MYR 12.15
-30.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68 MX$80.4
$3.11 MYR 12.73
50.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$5.81
$0.69 MYR 2.81
-50.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.81 MX$357
$12.25 MYR 50.2
69.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.10 MX$35.99
$1.25 MYR 5.10
68.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.56 MX$9.60
$0.36 MYR 1.46
55.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.81 MX$99.8
$9.32 MYR 38.15
-37.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.61 MX$27.56
$0.78 MYR 3.18
106.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$392.1K
$41.2K MYR 168.6K
-44.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K MX$459.2K
$35.0K MYR 143.4K
-23.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$65.2 MX$1,119
$53.0 MYR 217
23.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.09 MX$517
$8.22 MYR 33.65
266.06%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18 MX$638
$28.97 MYR 119
28.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$59.8 MX$1,026
$40.66 MYR 166
46.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.55 MX$456
$5.89 MYR 24.10
350.76%
Cinema Ticket
$7.04 MX$121
$4.89 MYR 20.03
43.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$465 MX$7,976
$166 MYR 680
179.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$13.3K MX$227.8K
$4,502 MYR 18.4K
194.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9 MX$1,303
$66.6 MYR 273
13.93%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0 MX$960
$17.16 MYR 70.2
226.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 MX$1,920
$77.4 MYR 317
44.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121 MX$2,068
$48.28 MYR 198
149.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,103 MX$18.9K
$395 MYR 1,617
179.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$721 MX$12.4K
$299 MYR 1,224
141.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,530 MX$43.4K
$686 MYR 2,808
268.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 MX$22.2K
$487 MYR 1,995
165.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,991 MX$68.5K
$2,014 MYR 8,244
98.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,090 MX$35.9K
$1,143 MYR 4,678
82.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ulu Tiram
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,037 MX$17.8K
$853 MYR 3,491
21.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
4.06
178.33%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ulu Tiram: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $395 in Ulu Tiram. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 22% 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 $21.00 in Ulu Tiram for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $240 per month, with Ulu Tiram 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 Ulu Tiram: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Ulu Tiram?
Mexico City and Ulu Tiram differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $939 including rent). Ulu Tiram is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Mexico City or Ulu Tiram?
Average pay runs 22% 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Ulu Tiram?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $395 in Ulu Tiram. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Ulu Tiram?
A monthly transit pass in Ulu Tiram runs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Ulu Tiram?
Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $166 in Ulu Tiram. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $939 in Ulu Tiram versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ulu Tiram but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ulu Tiram the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Ulu Tiram?
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.
Is Mexico City or Ulu Tiram safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ulu Tiram are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Ulu Tiram?
Expats usually find Ulu Tiram gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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