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: $849 in Penang versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,356 in Penang versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,863 in Penang versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Penang costs roughly 42% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Penang is 36% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.14 MYR 12.85

$13.07 MX$229

-75.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.56 MYR 88.2

$53.8 MX$943

-59.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.18 MYR 17.10

$9.68 MX$170

-56.82%

Cappuccino

$2.95 MYR 12.05

$3.74 MX$65.6

-21.12%

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

$0.69 MYR 2.81

$1.62 MX$28.34

-57.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 MYR 1.37

$1.16 MX$20.37

-70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.38 MYR 17.91

$3.23 MX$56.6

35.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.59

$4.74 MX$83.1

-4.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$1.65 MX$28.89

13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 MYR 4.07

$2.75 MX$48.30

-63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MYR 8.00

$1.87 MX$32.87

4.81%

Eggs

$2.03 MYR 8.30

$2.50 MX$43.86

-18.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 MYR 70.7

$10.20 MX$179

69.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.23 MYR 21.41

$8.25 MX$145

-36.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.76 MYR 60.4

$11.82 MX$207

24.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 MYR 11.40

$3.01 MX$52.8

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MYR 5.99

$1.81 MX$31.77

-19.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.61 MYR 10.69

$2.00 MX$35.07

30.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 MYR 8.64

$2.00 MX$35.00

5.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 MYR 4.81

$2.08 MX$36.56

-43.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.16 MYR 4.74

$2.27 MX$39.85

-48.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 MYR 3.72

$1.46 MX$25.55

-37.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 MYR 1.85

$1.08 MX$18.88

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MYR 17.58

$4.35 MX$76.3

-1.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 MYR 79.3

$16.99 MX$298

14.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 MYR 11.03

$1.73 MX$30.40

56.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MYR 13.94

$3.58 MX$62.7

-4.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 MYR 1.87

$0.39 MX$6.79

17.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.34 MYR 70.9

$18.69 MX$328

-7.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.68 MYR 2.80

$1.33 MX$23.25

-48.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MYR 2.17

$0.28 MX$4.91

89.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.89 MYR 28.19

$5.25 MX$92.1

31.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.34 MX$23.44

-65.67%

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

$33.0K MYR 134.9K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

69.96%

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

$27.3K MYR 111.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

14.44%

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

$38.52 MYR 158

$40.69 MX$714

-5.33%

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

$10.16 MYR 41.54

$26.87 MX$471

-62.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.68 MYR 130

$30.51 MX$535

3.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 MYR 133

$52.8 MX$926

-38.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.57 MYR 22.80

$26.65 MX$467

-79.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.89 MYR 20.01

$6.51 MX$114

-24.88%

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

$238 MYR 973

$428 MX$7,508

-44.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,317 MYR 25.8K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-39.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 MYR 222

$57.3 MX$1,004

-5.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 MYR 120

$45.50 MX$798

-35.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 MYR 253

$104 MX$1,825

-40.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$52.6 MYR 215

$108 MX$1,891

-51.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,553

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-62.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$222 MYR 910

$623 MX$10.9K

-64.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 MYR 2,620

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-69.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MYR 2,111

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-57.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,245 MYR 9,183

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-42.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,168 MYR 4,779

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-42.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$921 MYR 3,765

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-11.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.16

11.34

-63.32%

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

Last update for Penang: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $380 in Penang and $1,003 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: $22.00 in Penang vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $285 vs $292 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 72% in total monthly costs ($849 vs $1,456 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: $380 in Penang 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 Penang runs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $238 in Penang versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $849 in Penang versus $1,456 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 72% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.