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: $703 in Miri versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,113 in Miri versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,524 in Miri versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Miri costs roughly 51% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Miri is 48% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 MYR 12.66

$12.98 MX$223

-75.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.82 MYR 47.94

$52.6 MX$903

-77.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.90 MYR 15.82

$9.43 MX$162

-58.64%

Cappuccino

$2.69 MYR 10.90

$3.57 MX$61.3

-24.65%

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

$0.70 MYR 2.83

$1.61 MX$27.55

-56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$1.15 MX$19.81

-68.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 MYR 11.75

$3.15 MX$54.0

-7.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 MYR 15.57

$4.86 MX$83.4

-20.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 MYR 5.50

$1.70 MX$29.17

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 MYR 5.68

$2.64 MX$45.23

-46.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 MYR 3.44

$1.90 MX$32.67

-55.26%

Eggs

$3.41 MYR 13.83

$2.54 MX$43.62

34.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.76 MYR 43.65

$10.08 MX$173

6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 MYR 18.81

$8.29 MX$142

-44.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.70 MYR 47.45

$11.57 MX$199

1.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MYR 12.38

$3.03 MX$52.0

0.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 MYR 4.84

$1.71 MX$29.35

-30.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 MYR 9.26

$2.05 MX$35.16

11.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.60

$2.06 MX$35.36

-33.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.55 MYR 2.25

$2.06 MX$35.43

-73.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 MYR 3.64

$2.17 MX$37.25

-58.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.69

$1.40 MX$24.08

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.48

$1.12 MX$19.26

-67.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MYR 17.23

$4.29 MX$73.7

-0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.08 MYR 81.4

$15.41 MX$265

30.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.79

$1.67 MX$28.74

74.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 MYR 9.46

$3.69 MX$63.3

-36.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 MYR 5.51

$0.38 MX$6.55

257.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.64 MYR 35.03

$19.06 MX$327

-54.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.16 MYR 4.72

$1.38 MX$23.70

-15.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$0.28 MX$4.74

164.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MYR 24.25

$5.42 MX$92.9

10.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.89

$1.28 MX$21.98

-63.28%

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

$58.7K MYR 238.1K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

209.40%

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

$27.8K MYR 112.9K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

18.70%

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

$30.31 MYR 123

$41.02 MX$704

-26.11%

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

$9.63 MYR 39.06

$26.92 MX$462

-64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.41 MYR 131

$29.69 MX$510

9.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.31 MYR 115

$52.3 MX$898

-45.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 24.57

$26.23 MX$450

-76.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.19 MYR 16.99

$6.18 MX$106

-32.20%

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

$97.3 MYR 395

$427 MX$7,331

-77.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,106 MYR 20.7K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-52.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.16 MYR 143

$56.8 MX$975

-38.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 MYR 77.9

$44.83 MX$769

-57.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.81 MYR 182

$105 MX$1,794

-57.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$32.13 MYR 130

$106 MX$1,819

-69.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 MYR 1,289

$995 MX$17.1K

-68.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$164 MYR 664

$621 MX$10.7K

-73.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$493 MYR 2,000

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-76.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 MYR 1,532

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-69.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,243 MYR 5,042

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-68.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$692 MYR 2,807

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-66.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$751 MYR 3,045

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-32.19%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $318 in Miri and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 47% 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 $245 vs $288 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 106% in total monthly costs ($703 vs $1,447 including rent). Miri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 47% 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: $318 in Miri versus $995 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 121% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $97.3 in Miri versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $703 in Miri versus $1,447 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 106% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.