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: $662 in Padang versus $1,448 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,031 in Padang versus $2,354 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,400 in Padang versus $3,260 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Padang is 50% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.51 Rp 26.8K

$12.96 MX$223

-88.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.35 Rp 218.8K

$52.3 MX$900

-76.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.30 Rp 58.4K

$9.69 MX$167

-65.94%

Cappuccino

$1.66 Rp 29.4K

$3.75 MX$64.6

-55.73%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,678

$1.56 MX$26.91

-64.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,597

$1.16 MX$19.93

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 Rp 42.4K

$3.24 MX$55.8

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 Rp 63.8K

$4.90 MX$84.3

-26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 Rp 21.0K

$1.70 MX$29.29

-30.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 Rp 20.9K

$2.67 MX$45.90

-55.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.89 MX$32.49

-53.97%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$2.52 MX$43.37

-36.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 Rp 146.0K

$10.02 MX$172

-17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 Rp 54.8K

$8.53 MX$147

-63.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.65 Rp 135.5K

$11.94 MX$205

-35.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 Rp 42.6K

$2.97 MX$51.1

-18.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 Rp 26.6K

$1.79 MX$30.88

-16.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$2.00 MX$34.40

-5.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 27.8K

$1.96 MX$33.74

-19.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.3K

$2.16 MX$37.21

-36.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$2.27 MX$39.04

-16.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.40 MX$24.14

-35.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,370

$1.11 MX$19.18

-62.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.44 Rp 43.1K

$4.20 MX$72.2

-41.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.67 Rp 419.3K

$16.54 MX$285

43.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 Rp 37.5K

$1.68 MX$28.94

26.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 Rp 57.4K

$3.59 MX$61.8

-9.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,223

$0.39 MX$6.65

-25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.01 Rp 177.4K

$19.19 MX$330

-47.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.56 Rp 9,970

$1.38 MX$23.77

-59.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,679

$0.30 MX$5.19

26.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 Rp 51.2K

$5.39 MX$92.7

-46.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.1K

$1.29 MX$22.13

-37.98%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.9M

$18.9K MX$325.1K

32.01%

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

$27.6K Rp 488.1M

$23.8K MX$409.5K

15.78%

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

$70.5 Rp 1.2M

$39.86 MX$686

76.89%

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

$4.33 Rp 76.7K

$27.83 MX$479

-84.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.33 Rp 395.5K

$29.77 MX$512

-24.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.89 Rp 405.6K

$52.0 MX$894

-55.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 Rp 106.7K

$26.22 MX$451

-77.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.02 Rp 53.5K

$6.27 MX$108

-51.83%

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

$91.6 Rp 1.6M

$433 MX$7,443

-78.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,528 Rp 133.4M

$10.5K MX$181.3K

-28.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.43 Rp 751.6K

$57.0 MX$981

-25.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 Rp 533.7K

$45.33 MX$780

-33.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$102 MX$1,753

-33.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$109 MX$1,867

-32.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 Rp 4.7M

$994 MX$17.1K

-73.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 Rp 2.8M

$617 MX$10.6K

-74.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 Rp 10.3M

$2,086 MX$35.9K

-72.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 Rp 6.0M

$1,256 MX$21.6K

-73.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,346 Rp 23.8M

$3,936 MX$67.7K

-65.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$739 Rp 13.1M

$2,089 MX$35.9K

-64.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.1M

$1,131 MX$19.5K

-84.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.34

-19.31%

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

Last update for Padang: June 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Padang and $994 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 557% 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 Padang vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $292 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 119% in total monthly costs ($662 vs $1,448 including rent). Padang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 557% 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: $263 in Padang versus $994 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Padang runs roughly 92% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $91.6 in Padang versus $433 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $662 in Padang versus $1,448 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 119% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.