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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $859 in Penang versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,322 in Penang versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,786 in Penang versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Penang costs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 37% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.75 MYR 15.15

$12.11 MX$206

-69.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.0

$52.2 MX$887

-62.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 MYR 19.22

$10.90 MX$185

-56.42%

Cappuccino

$3.07 MYR 12.41

$4.05 MX$68.8

-24.20%

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

$0.73 MYR 2.96

$1.72 MX$29.13

-57.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$1.38 MX$23.40

-73.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.17 MYR 16.85

$3.47 MX$58.9

20.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MYR 17.84

$5.81 MX$98.7

-24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 MYR 7.35

$1.85 MX$31.48

-1.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 MYR 4.27

$3.22 MX$54.7

-67.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 MYR 7.28

$2.09 MX$35.42

-13.88%

Eggs

$2.21 MYR 8.92

$2.91 MX$49.41

-24.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 MYR 53.7

$12.49 MX$212

6.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.53 MYR 18.31

$10.11 MX$172

-55.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 MYR 35.80

$15.89 MX$270

-44.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.92 MYR 11.81

$3.31 MX$56.3

-11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.83

$2.13 MX$36.12

-20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 MYR 10.49

$2.19 MX$37.20

18.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 MYR 5.99

$2.45 MX$41.57

-39.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.32

$2.19 MX$37.18

-51.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 MYR 4.48

$1.90 MX$32.35

-41.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 MYR 4.49

$1.62 MX$27.44

-31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 MYR 2.17

$1.35 MX$22.92

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 MYR 18.37

$5.43 MX$92.1

-16.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.01 MYR 76.9

$17.59 MX$299

8.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.01 MYR 12.18

$2.07 MX$35.12

45.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 MYR 16.68

$4.75 MX$80.6

-13.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 MYR 1.94

$0.34 MX$5.77

41.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.59 MYR 50.9

$21.58 MX$366

-41.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MYR 7.13

$2.04 MX$34.65

-13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 MYR 1.68

$0.58 MX$9.82

-27.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.59 MYR 30.67

$5.97 MX$101

27.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 MYR 3.53

$1.62 MX$27.44

-46.30%

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

$43.1K MYR 174.1K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

88.82%

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

$34.8K MYR 140.6K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

30.45%

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

$38.08 MYR 154

$65.2 MX$1,108

-41.63%

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

$10.06 MYR 40.66

$29.87 MX$507

-66.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MYR 119

$36.55 MX$621

-19.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.74 MYR 157

$61.0 MX$1,036

-36.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.90 MYR 19.80

$26.70 MX$453

-81.65%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.62

$6.85 MX$116

-25.55%

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

$438 MYR 1,770

$453 MX$7,700

-3.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MYR 43.2K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-20.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 MYR 248

$75.0 MX$1,273

-18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.89 MYR 145

$55.3 MX$939

-35.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 MYR 344

$114 MX$1,929

-25.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 MYR 281

$123 MX$2,083

-43.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$409 MYR 1,654

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-63.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$237 MYR 959

$712 MX$12.1K

-66.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$573 MYR 2,316

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-77.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 MYR 1,692

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-68.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,246 MYR 9,081

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-43.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,081 MYR 4,369

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-48.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$928 MYR 3,750

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-11.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.24

11.3

-62.48%

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

Last update for Penang: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $409 in Penang and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 13% 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: $20.00 in Penang vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $254 vs $345 per month, with Penang 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

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

Penang and Mexico City differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $1,646 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% 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: $409 in Penang versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Penang runs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $438 in Penang versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $859 in Penang versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Penang 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, Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.