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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $970 in Pekanbaru versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,258 in Pekanbaru versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Pekanbaru costs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pekanbaru is 49% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 28.0K

$13.07 MX$229

-88.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.68 Rp 155.6K

$53.8 MX$943

-83.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.49 Rp 44.7K

$9.68 MX$170

-74.28%

Cappuccino

$1.42 Rp 25.5K

$3.74 MX$65.6

-62.03%

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

$0.47 Rp 8,369

$1.62 MX$28.34

-70.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,666

$1.16 MX$20.37

-77.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 Rp 38.4K

$3.23 MX$56.6

-33.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$4.74 MX$83.1

-27.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.65 MX$28.89

-18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.75 MX$48.30

-56.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 Rp 18.4K

$1.87 MX$32.87

-45.45%

Eggs

$1.78 Rp 31.9K

$2.50 MX$43.86

-28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.88 Rp 302.8K

$10.20 MX$179

65.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.61 Rp 46.9K

$8.25 MX$145

-68.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.40 Rp 186.6K

$11.82 MX$207

-12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 53.0K

$3.01 MX$52.8

-1.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 30.0K

$1.81 MX$31.77

-7.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$2.00 MX$35.07

0.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$2.00 MX$35.00

-55.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 Rp 17.9K

$2.08 MX$36.56

-51.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 28.8K

$2.27 MX$39.85

-29.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.46 MX$25.55

8.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,385

$1.08 MX$18.88

-62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$4.35 MX$76.3

-47.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.82 Rp 355.6K

$16.99 MX$298

16.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.73 MX$30.40

58.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 69.5K

$3.58 MX$62.7

8.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,301

$0.39 MX$6.79

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.33 Rp 167.4K

$18.69 MX$328

-50.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.9K

$1.33 MX$23.25

-33.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 Rp 7,206

$0.28 MX$4.91

42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$5.25 MX$92.1

-58.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.34 MX$23.44

-42.54%

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

$23.2K Rp 415.6M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

19.34%

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

$25.5K Rp 456.6M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

6.81%

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

$70.3 Rp 1.3M

$40.69 MX$714

72.72%

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

$6.58 Rp 118.0K

$26.87 MX$471

-75.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.97 Rp 501.7K

$30.51 MX$535

-8.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.15 Rp 415.3K

$52.8 MX$926

-56.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 Rp 222.6K

$26.65 MX$467

-53.43%

Cinema Ticket

$3.21 Rp 57.5K

$6.51 MX$114

-50.69%

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

$174 Rp 3.1M

$428 MX$7,508

-59.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,096 Rp 55.5M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-70.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.18 Rp 613.1K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-40.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.35 Rp 652.1K

$45.50 MX$798

-20.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.7 Rp 1.2M

$104 MX$1,825

-36.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.9 Rp 1.4M

$108 MX$1,891

-29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-74.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$122 Rp 2.2M

$623 MX$10.9K

-80.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 Rp 16.7M

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-55.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 Rp 2.7M

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-87.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,135 Rp 20.4M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-70.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$699 Rp 12.5M

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-65.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$181 Rp 3.2M

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-82.56%

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 Pekanbaru: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Pekanbaru and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 474% 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: $9.00 in Pekanbaru vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $292 per month, with Pekanbaru 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

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

Pekanbaru and Mexico City differ by about 114% in total monthly costs ($681 vs $1,456 including rent). Pekanbaru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 474% 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: $257 in Pekanbaru versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pekanbaru runs roughly 100% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $174 in Pekanbaru versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $681 in Pekanbaru versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pekanbaru but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pekanbaru 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 Pekanbaru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.