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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $684 in Miri versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,094 in Miri versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,504 in Miri versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Miri costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Miri is 49% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 MYR 13.20

$13.14 MX$227

-75.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.75 MYR 47.99

$53.5 MX$926

-78.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.02 MYR 16.43

$9.33 MX$161

-56.91%

Cappuccino

$2.63 MYR 10.72

$3.70 MX$64.0

-28.92%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.87

$1.60 MX$27.76

-56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$1.12 MX$19.34

-67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 MYR 11.66

$3.14 MX$54.3

-8.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.78

$4.85 MX$83.9

-20.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MYR 5.56

$1.65 MX$28.61

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 MYR 5.92

$2.71 MX$46.96

-46.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 MYR 3.40

$1.91 MX$33.03

-56.54%

Eggs

$3.28 MYR 13.41

$2.59 MX$44.81

26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.99 MYR 44.88

$9.81 MX$170

12.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 MYR 19.35

$8.43 MX$146

-43.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 MYR 49.11

$11.93 MX$206

0.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 MYR 12.48

$2.95 MX$51.1

3.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.66

$1.74 MX$30.10

-34.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 MYR 9.44

$2.04 MX$35.38

13.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$2.06 MX$35.64

-30.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.39

$2.15 MX$37.20

-72.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 MYR 3.71

$2.26 MX$39.02

-59.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.39 MX$23.97

-34.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 MYR 1.36

$1.12 MX$19.31

-70.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.28 MYR 17.46

$4.22 MX$73.0

1.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.89 MYR 81.2

$17.51 MX$303

13.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 MYR 12.20

$1.71 MX$29.58

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 MYR 9.25

$3.63 MX$62.8

-37.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 MYR 5.55

$0.35 MX$6.10

288.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.41 MYR 34.35

$19.32 MX$334

-56.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.91

$1.38 MX$23.80

-13.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 MYR 2.90

$0.28 MX$4.77

153.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.80 MYR 23.66

$5.28 MX$91.3

9.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.88

$1.36 MX$23.50

-66.18%

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

$59.1K MYR 241.4K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

209.53%

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

$28.5K MYR 116.5K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

20.86%

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

$31.15 MYR 127

$40.53 MX$701

-23.14%

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

$9.30 MYR 37.98

$27.38 MX$474

-66.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.50 MYR 137

$30.38 MX$526

10.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.91 MYR 114

$52.2 MX$903

-46.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.03 MYR 24.62

$26.48 MX$458

-77.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 MYR 17.72

$6.19 MX$107

-29.89%

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

$97.9 MYR 400

$425 MX$7,355

-76.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,254 MYR 21.5K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-51.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.74 MYR 146

$58.3 MX$1,009

-38.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.81 MYR 76.8

$44.57 MX$771

-57.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.44 MYR 181

$103 MX$1,791

-57.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.50 MYR 129

$109 MX$1,881

-71.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 MYR 1,309

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-68.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 669

$623 MX$10.8K

-73.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 MYR 2,027

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-76.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,548

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-69.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,233 MYR 5,034

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-67.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$678 MYR 2,769

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-67.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MYR 2,722

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-36.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.63

11.34

-67.99%

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

Last update for Miri: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $321 in Miri and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 58% 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: $12.00 in Miri vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $293 per month, with Miri 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

Miri vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Miri and Mexico City differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($684 vs $1,472 including rent). Miri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 58% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $321 in Miri versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Miri runs roughly 130% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $97.9 in Miri versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $684 in Miri versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Miri but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Miri 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, Miri and Mexico City 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 Miri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.