Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Penang and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Penang: $852 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $8,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

42

Cost of Living Index in Penang
Learn more

Penang Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Penang

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$852

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Penang and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Penang and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $852 in Penang versus $1,567 in Mexico City.

Penang $852
Mexico City $1,567

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,307 in Penang versus $2,450 in Mexico City.

Penang $1,307
Mexico City $2,450

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,763 in Penang versus $3,333 in Mexico City.

Penang $1,763
Mexico City $3,333

Living in Penang costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 37% below, Mexico City is 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 MYR 15.18

$10.75 MX$199

-65.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.53 MYR 79.7

$50.3 MX$929

-61.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 MYR 18.47

$11.10 MX$205

-59.19%

Cappuccino

$2.92 MYR 11.89

$3.68 MX$68.1

-20.65%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.17

$1.65 MX$30.42

-52.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 MYR 1.63

$1.30 MX$24.08

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 MYR 16.81

$3.32 MX$61.3

24.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.51

$5.54 MX$102

-18.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.65

$1.77 MX$32.68

6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$3.05 MX$56.4

-64.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MYR 7.21

$2.01 MX$37.20

-11.94%

Eggs

$2.17 MYR 8.85

$2.77 MX$51.1

-21.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.69 MYR 55.9

$11.91 MX$220

14.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.30 MYR 17.56

$9.33 MX$172

-53.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 MYR 35.86

$15.02 MX$278

-41.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$3.08 MX$56.8

-4.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MYR 6.96

$1.95 MX$35.97

-12.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.75 MYR 11.21

$2.03 MX$37.54

35.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 MYR 5.76

$2.21 MX$40.92

-36.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.36

$2.02 MX$37.41

-47.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.37

$1.82 MX$33.67

-41.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.43

$1.52 MX$28.07

-28.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.33

$1.28 MX$23.65

-55.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 MYR 18.80

$5.27 MX$97.4

-12.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.15 MYR 78.1

$16.12 MX$298

18.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.88

$1.95 MX$36.05

49.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 MYR 21.18

$4.25 MX$78.6

22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 MYR 1.92

$0.31 MX$5.82

51.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.23 MYR 49.87

$19.85 MX$367

-38.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 MYR 6.86

$2.00 MX$36.93

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 MYR 1.66

$0.53 MX$9.86

-22.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.14 MYR 29.12

$5.62 MX$104

27.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 MYR 3.80

$1.52 MX$28.07

-38.82%

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

$42.3K MYR 172.6K

$21.0K MX$388.7K

101.17%

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

$35.8K MYR 146.1K

$25.2K MX$465.3K

42.22%

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

$37.07 MYR 151

$62.5 MX$1,155

-40.68%

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

$9.84 MYR 40.13

$28.77 MX$532

-65.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.79 MYR 117

$34.45 MX$637

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 MYR 156

$57.1 MX$1,055

-33.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.97 MYR 20.28

$24.81 MX$458

-79.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.82 MYR 19.67

$6.67 MX$123

-27.74%

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

$423 MYR 1,726

$431 MX$7,964

-1.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K MYR 44.1K

$11.7K MX$216.9K

-7.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 MYR 240

$70.8 MX$1,308

-16.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.27 MYR 144

$51.8 MX$958

-31.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 MYR 342

$109 MX$2,011

-22.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.0 MYR 290

$112 MX$2,076

-36.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 MYR 1,658

$1,051 MX$19.4K

-61.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$229 MYR 934

$665 MX$12.3K

-65.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$612 MYR 2,496

$2,346 MX$43.3K

-73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 MYR 1,663

$1,227 MX$22.7K

-66.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,223 MYR 9,070

$3,554 MX$65.7K

-37.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,070 MYR 4,365

$1,977 MX$36.5K

-45.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$907 MYR 3,702

$975 MX$18.0K

-6.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

11.3

-64.25%

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

Last update for Penang: October 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Penang

$257 30.2%

Mexico City

$323 20.6% 25.5% $66

Accommodation & Living

Penang

$229 26.9%

Mexico City

$665 42.4% 191% $436

Eating Out

Penang

$113 13.2%

Mexico City

$203 13% 80.1% $90

Clothing & Footwear

Penang

$112 13.2%

Mexico City

$155 9.9% 38.1% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Penang

$76 8.9%

Mexico City

$126 8% 66.1% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Penang

$48 5.6%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 47.2% $23

Getting Around

Penang

$18 2.1%

Mexico City

$26 1.6% 44.6% $8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $406 in Penang and $1,051 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 7% 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 $50.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $323 per month, with Penang cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Penang

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

11:25 11:25 AM

21:25 9:25 PM

14 h behind Penang

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

158,336

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.245 USD

1 MYR = 0.218 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 4.08 MYR (1 MYR = 0.245 USD). 1 EUR = 4.59 MYR (1 MYR = 0.218 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Penang Mexico City 16,540 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Penang
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 84% in total monthly costs ($852 vs $1,567 including rent). Penang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 7% 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: $406 in Penang versus $1,051 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 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $423 in Penang versus $431 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $852 in Penang versus $1,567 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 84% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.