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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Putrajaya versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,234 in Putrajaya versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,638 in Putrajaya versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Putrajaya costs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Putrajaya is 39% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 MYR 15.45

$11.92 MX$206

-68.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.96 MYR 81.5

$51.6 MX$890

-61.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 MYR 15.89

$11.41 MX$197

-65.91%

Cappuccino

$2.94 MYR 12.00

$3.99 MX$68.9

-26.32%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.28

$1.66 MX$28.61

-51.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.61

$1.33 MX$22.87

-70.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 MYR 14.65

$3.47 MX$59.9

3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MYR 18.99

$5.90 MX$102

-21.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 MYR 7.16

$1.88 MX$32.36

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$3.25 MX$56.1

-66.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 MYR 5.88

$2.16 MX$37.26

-33.33%

Eggs

$1.73 MYR 7.08

$2.90 MX$49.94

-40.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 MYR 31.39

$12.86 MX$222

-40.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.56 MYR 18.62

$10.05 MX$173

-54.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.95 MYR 40.61

$15.86 MX$273

-37.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 MYR 10.13

$3.29 MX$56.8

-24.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MYR 6.43

$2.01 MX$34.60

-21.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 MYR 9.19

$2.20 MX$37.93

2.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 MYR 6.83

$2.36 MX$40.63

-29.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.62

$2.05 MX$35.43

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 MYR 5.83

$1.90 MX$32.79

-24.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 MYR 5.37

$1.61 MX$27.68

-18.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 MYR 2.08

$1.40 MX$24.09

-63.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MYR 17.20

$5.46 MX$94.2

-22.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 MYR 54.1

$17.65 MX$304

-24.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 MYR 12.06

$2.06 MX$35.44

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 MYR 12.84

$4.68 MX$80.8

-32.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MYR 3.15

$0.34 MX$5.84

126.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.34 MYR 50.4

$20.81 MX$359

-40.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 MYR 4.14

$2.10 MX$36.15

-51.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 MYR 1.94

$0.56 MX$9.64

-16.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.97 MYR 40.71

$5.81 MX$100

71.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$1.61 MX$27.68

-56.52%

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

$41.7K MYR 170.1K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

82.45%

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

$33.9K MYR 138.3K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

26.64%

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

$53.1 MYR 217

$65.2 MX$1,124

-18.55%

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

$11.26 MYR 45.97

$30.09 MX$519

-62.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.15 MYR 94.5

$37.18 MX$641

-37.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.95 MYR 143

$59.8 MX$1,030

-41.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.53 MYR 38.91

$26.55 MX$458

-64.11%

Cinema Ticket

$5.03 MYR 20.53

$7.04 MX$121

-28.55%

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

$514 MYR 2,099

$465 MX$8,012

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,473 MYR 18.3K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-66.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 269

$75.9 MX$1,308

-13.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.57 MYR 67.7

$56.0 MX$965

-70.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MYR 335

$112 MX$1,929

-26.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 MYR 347

$121 MX$2,078

-29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 MYR 1,428

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 MYR 920

$721 MX$12.4K

-68.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 MYR 2,653

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-74.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$362 MYR 1,478

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-72.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,705 MYR 11.0K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-32.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,786 MYR 7,292

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MYR 4,276

$1,037 MX$17.9K

0.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

11.3

-64.07%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $350 in Putrajaya and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $20.00 in Putrajaya vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $222 vs $345 per month, with Putrajaya 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

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

Putrajaya and Mexico City differ by about 100% in total monthly costs ($830 vs $1,660 including rent). Putrajaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1% higher in Putrajaya, 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: $350 in Putrajaya versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Putrajaya runs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $514 in Putrajaya versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $830 in Putrajaya versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Putrajaya but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Putrajaya 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, Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.