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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $817 in Puchong versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,276 in Puchong versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,736 in Puchong versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Puchong costs roughly 44% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Puchong is 39% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 MYR 14.35

$13.18 MX$228

-72.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.50 MYR 73.3

$53.9 MX$932

-65.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.81 MYR 19.07

$9.42 MX$163

-48.94%

Cappuccino

$3.02 MYR 11.97

$3.55 MX$61.4

-14.93%

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

$0.78 MYR 3.11

$1.62 MX$27.98

-51.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 1.97

$1.11 MX$19.27

-54.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.36 MYR 17.27

$3.12 MX$54.0

39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 MYR 23.27

$4.63 MX$80.1

26.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 MYR 7.53

$1.70 MX$29.43

11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 MYR 4.17

$2.72 MX$47.02

-61.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.07

$1.91 MX$33.07

-32.98%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.28

$2.54 MX$43.86

-27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 MYR 45.40

$10.03 MX$174

14.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 MYR 18.54

$8.09 MX$140

-42.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 MYR 33.47

$11.62 MX$201

-27.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.35

$2.97 MX$51.3

-3.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 MYR 4.06

$1.81 MX$31.24

-43.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.68 MYR 10.64

$2.01 MX$34.82

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.03

$2.03 MX$35.20

-25.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.36

$2.12 MX$36.75

-36.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 MYR 5.36

$2.27 MX$39.25

-40.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MYR 4.14

$1.40 MX$24.22

-25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 MYR 2.29

$1.13 MX$19.55

-48.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MYR 17.02

$4.27 MX$73.9

0.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 MYR 59.0

$15.56 MX$269

-4.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 MYR 11.41

$1.76 MX$30.39

63.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.38

$3.60 MX$62.2

-20.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.71

$0.38 MX$6.62

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.74 MYR 46.54

$19.18 MX$332

-38.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 MYR 4.72

$1.38 MX$23.79

-13.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 3.89

$0.28 MX$4.78

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 MYR 18.53

$5.45 MX$94.2

-14.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 1.94

$1.30 MX$22.55

-62.31%

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

$19.8K MYR 78.4K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

5.87%

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

$26.2K MYR 103.8K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

13.14%

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

$46.15 MYR 183

$40.86 MX$707

12.95%

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

$9.64 MYR 38.23

$26.81 MX$464

-64.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.45 MYR 101

$29.96 MX$518

-15.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.96 MYR 147

$52.0 MX$900

-28.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.98 MYR 27.67

$26.84 MX$464

-73.99%

Cinema Ticket

$5.10 MYR 20.21

$6.30 MX$109

-19.05%

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

$189 MYR 751

$436 MX$7,544

-56.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,482 MYR 37.6K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-8.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 238

$56.7 MX$980

5.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.65 MYR 145

$44.38 MX$768

-17.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.6 MYR 328

$103 MX$1,780

-19.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 283

$106 MX$1,825

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 MYR 1,095

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-72.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 MYR 827

$631 MX$10.9K

-66.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$665 MYR 2,636

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-68.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 MYR 1,673

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-66.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,658 MYR 6,573

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-57.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$843 MYR 3,343

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-59.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,365 MYR 5,411

$1,115 MX$19.3K

22.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.47

11.34

-60.58%

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

Last update for Puchong: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $276 in Puchong and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puchong pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Puchong vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $232 vs $288 per month, with Puchong 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

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

Puchong and Mexico City differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($817 vs $1,467 including rent). Puchong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Puchong pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $276 in Puchong versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Puchong runs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $189 in Puchong versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $817 in Puchong versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puchong but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Puchong 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, Puchong 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 Puchong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.