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: $820 in Miri versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,253 in Miri versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,686 in Miri versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Miri costs roughly 51% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Miri is 40% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 MYR 14.66

$11.92 MX$206

-69.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.47 MYR 50.9

$51.6 MX$890

-75.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.65 MYR 18.99

$11.41 MX$197

-59.25%

Cappuccino

$2.38 MYR 9.73

$3.99 MX$68.9

-40.35%

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

$0.85 MYR 3.46

$1.66 MX$28.61

-48.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 MYR 1.13

$1.33 MX$22.87

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MYR 12.16

$3.47 MX$59.9

-14.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 MYR 15.75

$5.90 MX$102

-34.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MYR 5.83

$1.88 MX$32.36

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MYR 7.73

$3.25 MX$56.1

-41.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$2.16 MX$37.26

-53.24%

Eggs

$3.55 MYR 14.48

$2.90 MX$49.94

22.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 MYR 19.69

$10.05 MX$173

-52.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.88 MYR 60.7

$15.86 MX$273

-6.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 7.99

$2.01 MX$34.60

-2.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 MYR 1.45

$1.40 MX$24.09

-74.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 MYR 18.26

$5.46 MX$94.2

-18.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.69 MYR 80.4

$17.65 MX$304

11.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 MYR 12.40

$2.06 MX$35.44

47.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 MYR 9.49

$4.68 MX$80.8

-50.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$0.34 MX$5.84

47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.52 MYR 59.3

$20.81 MX$359

-30.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.87

$2.10 MX$36.15

-43.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 MYR 2.44

$0.56 MX$9.64

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 MYR 25.18

$5.81 MX$100

6.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 MYR 2.44

$1.61 MX$27.68

-62.73%

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

$50.2K MYR 204.8K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

119.65%

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

$33.6K MYR 137.0K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

25.44%

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

$50.2 MYR 205

$65.2 MX$1,124

-22.95%

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

$9.62 MYR 39.26

$30.09 MX$519

-68.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.89 MYR 134

$37.18 MX$641

-11.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.83 MYR 122

$59.8 MX$1,030

-50.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.09 MYR 24.87

$26.55 MX$458

-77.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 MYR 18.50

$7.04 MX$121

-35.65%

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

$102 MYR 415

$465 MX$8,012

-78.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,506 MYR 26.6K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-50.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.24 MYR 181

$75.9 MX$1,308

-41.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.85 MYR 93.3

$56.0 MX$965

-59.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$56.7 MYR 231

$112 MX$1,929

-49.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.85 MYR 175

$121 MX$2,078

-64.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 MYR 1,388

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-69.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$286 MYR 1,168

$721 MX$12.4K

-60.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 MYR 2,431

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-76.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$581 MYR 2,370

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-55.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,224 MYR 4,999

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-69.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$672 MYR 2,744

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-67.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$689 MYR 2,811

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-33.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.3

-63.54%

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

Last update for Miri: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $340 in Miri and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 51% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $195 vs $345 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 102% in total monthly costs ($820 vs $1,660 including rent). Miri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 51% 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: $340 in Miri versus $1,103 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 43% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $102 in Miri versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $820 in Miri versus $1,660 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 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.