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: $705 in Miri versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,097 in Miri versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,490 in Miri versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Miri costs roughly 52% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Miri is 47% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.21 MYR 12.69

$12.98 MX$227

-75.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.00 MYR 47.40

$53.1 MX$929

-77.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.08 MYR 16.12

$9.72 MX$170

-58.02%

Cappuccino

$2.64 MYR 10.43

$3.75 MX$65.6

-29.60%

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

$0.75 MYR 2.95

$1.57 MX$27.46

-52.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.32

$1.13 MX$19.76

-69.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 MYR 11.40

$3.18 MX$55.7

-9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 MYR 15.28

$4.66 MX$81.6

-16.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MYR 5.36

$1.62 MX$28.37

-16.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 MYR 5.71

$2.71 MX$47.36

-46.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 MYR 3.15

$1.88 MX$32.89

-57.45%

Eggs

$3.35 MYR 13.23

$2.51 MX$43.90

33.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 MYR 43.68

$10.08 MX$176

9.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 MYR 18.82

$8.29 MX$145

-42.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MYR 46.69

$11.94 MX$209

-1.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 MYR 12.26

$2.86 MX$50.1

8.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 MYR 4.49

$1.75 MX$30.62

-34.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 MYR 8.96

$2.08 MX$36.48

9.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.69

$1.97 MX$34.46

-26.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.59 MYR 2.35

$2.16 MX$37.79

-72.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.67

$2.18 MX$38.16

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 MYR 3.80

$1.39 MX$24.34

-30.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.43

$1.12 MX$19.69

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MYR 16.20

$4.20 MX$73.5

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.84 MYR 78.4

$14.25 MX$249

39.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 MYR 11.46

$1.76 MX$30.85

64.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 MYR 9.27

$3.68 MX$64.5

-36.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 MYR 5.38

$0.39 MX$6.74

248.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.73 MYR 34.49

$18.66 MX$327

-53.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.59

$1.39 MX$24.26

-16.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 MYR 2.97

$0.30 MX$5.32

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.93 MYR 23.41

$5.42 MX$94.9

9.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.35 MX$23.63

-63.70%

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

$58.9K MYR 232.5K

$18.9K MX$330.5K

211.69%

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

$28.2K MYR 111.2K

$23.2K MX$405.2K

21.61%

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

$30.80 MYR 122

$40.82 MX$714

-24.55%

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

$9.60 MYR 37.93

$27.50 MX$481

-65.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.90 MYR 130

$30.38 MX$532

8.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.07 MYR 111

$53.4 MX$935

-47.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.84 MYR 23.06

$26.30 MX$460

-77.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 MYR 16.51

$6.27 MX$110

-33.33%

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

$100 MYR 396

$436 MX$7,632

-77.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,157 MYR 20.4K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-50.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.95 MYR 142

$56.8 MX$993

-36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.09 MYR 75.4

$44.79 MX$784

-57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.64 MYR 180

$103 MX$1,799

-55.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.69 MYR 125

$108 MX$1,888

-70.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$310 MYR 1,224

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-69.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 MYR 658

$620 MX$10.9K

-73.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$494 MYR 1,950

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-76.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 MYR 1,499

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-69.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,284 MYR 5,070

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-66.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$703 MYR 2,775

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-69.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$744 MYR 2,940

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-30.26%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $310 in Miri and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 43% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $246 vs $286 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 111% in total monthly costs ($705 vs $1,484 including rent). Miri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 43% less. 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: $310 in Miri versus $1,000 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 114% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $100 in Miri versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $705 in Miri versus $1,484 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 111% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.