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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Padang versus $1,682 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $988 in Padang versus $2,599 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,335 in Padang versus $3,516 in Mexico City.

Living in Padang costs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Padang is 53% below, Mexico City is 23% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$11.83 MX$200

-86.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.17 Rp 198.5K

$52.2 MX$884

-78.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.93 Rp 52.1K

$10.87 MX$184

-73.05%

Cappuccino

$1.73 Rp 30.8K

$4.03 MX$68.2

-57.07%

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

$0.43 Rp 7,642

$1.71 MX$28.99

-74.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,626

$1.34 MX$22.70

-80.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.57 Rp 45.7K

$3.39 MX$57.5

-24.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 Rp 63.2K

$5.74 MX$97.3

-37.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 20.7K

$1.89 MX$31.99

-38.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 Rp 19.3K

$3.17 MX$53.8

-65.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$2.05 MX$34.74

-52.68%

Eggs

$1.48 Rp 26.2K

$3.01 MX$51.1

-50.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.04 Rp 142.9K

$12.61 MX$214

-36.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 Rp 58.8K

$9.94 MX$169

-66.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.07 Rp 143.4K

$16.00 MX$271

-49.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$3.28 MX$55.6

-29.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 Rp 22.8K

$2.06 MX$34.87

-37.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$2.09 MX$35.36

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.4K

$2.50 MX$42.44

-49.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 Rp 25.2K

$2.05 MX$34.76

-30.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.87 MX$31.70

1.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.82 Rp 14.6K

$1.57 MX$26.66

-47.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,152

$1.39 MX$23.64

-71.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 Rp 46.6K

$5.38 MX$91.2

-51.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.09 Rp 410.3K

$17.95 MX$304

28.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 Rp 32.1K

$2.02 MX$34.31

-10.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 Rp 52.9K

$4.76 MX$80.7

-37.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,330

$0.36 MX$6.13

-16.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 10.1K

$2.06 MX$34.92

-72.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 Rp 5,778

$0.56 MX$9.55

-41.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 Rp 46.3K

$5.82 MX$98.6

-55.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.54 MX$26.05

-43.51%

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

$22.3K Rp 396.5M

$22.5K MX$380.6K

-0.67%

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

$30.5K Rp 542.1M

$26.5K MX$448.7K

15.19%

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

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$66.0 MX$1,118

-0.38%

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

$4.75 Rp 84.3K

$30.98 MX$525

-84.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.21 Rp 341.4K

$36.20 MX$613

-46.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.23 Rp 359.6K

$57.5 MX$975

-64.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.44 Rp 167.8K

$26.75 MX$453

-64.71%

Cinema Ticket

$2.89 Rp 51.3K

$7.13 MX$121

-59.47%

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

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$457 MX$7,738

-82.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,303 Rp 147.6M

$13.2K MX$224.5K

-37.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.35 Rp 752.8K

$75.8 MX$1,285

-44.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.38 Rp 593.2K

$54.1 MX$917

-38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.5 Rp 1.1M

$116 MX$1,974

-47.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

$122 MX$2,063

-49.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$216 Rp 3.8M

$1,147 MX$19.4K

-81.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 Rp 3.1M

$726 MX$12.3K

-75.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$635 Rp 11.3M

$2,503 MX$42.4K

-74.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 Rp 6.5M

$1,331 MX$22.6K

-72.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,009 Rp 17.9M

$3,895 MX$66.0K

-74.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$661 Rp 11.7M

$2,149 MX$36.4K

-69.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-84.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.67

11.35

-14.80%

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

Last update for Padang: August 16, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $216 in Padang and $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 535% 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: $11.00 in Padang vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $344 per month, with Padang 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

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

Padang and Mexico City differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,682 including rent). Padang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 535% 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: $216 in Padang versus $1,147 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $80.9 in Padang versus $457 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Padang – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Padang versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Padang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Padang 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.

Expats usually find Padang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.