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: $814 in Putrajaya versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,208 in Putrajaya versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Putrajaya versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Putrajaya is 39% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 MYR 14.08

$12.98 MX$223

-73.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.15 MYR 77.7

$52.6 MX$903

-63.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.66 MYR 18.89

$9.43 MX$162

-50.58%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.61

$3.57 MX$61.3

-19.89%

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

$0.74 MYR 3.01

$1.61 MX$27.55

-54.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.50

$1.15 MX$19.81

-67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.56 MYR 14.42

$3.15 MX$54.0

13.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.54 MYR 18.41

$4.86 MX$83.4

-6.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 MYR 7.04

$1.70 MX$29.17

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 MYR 3.22

$2.64 MX$45.23

-70.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.10

$1.90 MX$32.67

-33.68%

Eggs

$1.84 MYR 7.45

$2.54 MX$43.62

-27.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 MYR 26.36

$10.08 MX$173

-35.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.43 MYR 17.96

$8.29 MX$142

-46.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.40 MYR 38.11

$11.57 MX$199

-18.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 MYR 13.07

$3.03 MX$52.0

6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 MYR 5.44

$1.71 MX$29.35

-21.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.10 MYR 12.58

$2.05 MX$35.16

51.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.32

$2.06 MX$35.36

-24.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 MYR 6.20

$2.06 MX$35.43

-25.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MYR 7.38

$2.17 MX$37.25

-16.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 MYR 6.41

$1.40 MX$24.08

12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.10

$1.12 MX$19.26

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 MYR 17.66

$4.29 MX$73.7

1.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.31 MYR 58.0

$15.41 MX$265

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 MYR 11.18

$1.67 MX$28.74

65.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 MYR 11.89

$3.69 MX$63.3

-20.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 MYR 2.75

$0.38 MX$6.55

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 46.99

$19.06 MX$327

-39.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 MYR 3.74

$1.38 MX$23.70

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 MYR 4.15

$0.28 MX$4.74

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MYR 23.56

$5.42 MX$92.9

7.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.49 MYR 2.00

$1.28 MX$21.98

-61.72%

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

$35.0K MYR 141.9K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

84.41%

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

$38.1K MYR 154.4K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

62.32%

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

$46.17 MYR 187

$41.02 MX$704

12.55%

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

$8.82 MYR 35.76

$26.92 MX$462

-67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.27 MYR 90.3

$29.69 MX$510

-24.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 MYR 155

$52.3 MX$898

-26.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.96 MYR 36.35

$26.23 MX$450

-65.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MYR 19.95

$6.18 MX$106

-20.39%

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

$188 MYR 762

$427 MX$7,331

-56.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,937 MYR 28.1K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-35.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 MYR 258

$56.8 MX$975

11.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 MYR 76.9

$44.83 MX$769

-57.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.2 MYR 297

$105 MX$1,794

-29.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.18 MYR 163

$106 MX$1,819

-62.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$337 MYR 1,368

$995 MX$17.1K

-66.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MYR 954

$621 MX$10.7K

-62.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 MYR 2,583

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-70.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 MYR 1,511

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-70.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,047 MYR 8,299

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-47.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,452 MYR 5,887

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-30.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,266 MYR 5,135

$1,107 MX$19.0K

14.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.07

11.34

-64.11%

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

Last update for Putrajaya: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $337 in Putrajaya and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $19.00 in Putrajaya vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $221 vs $288 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 78% in total monthly costs ($814 vs $1,447 including rent). Putrajaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Putrajaya pays 14% 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: $337 in Putrajaya versus $995 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 64% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $188 in Putrajaya versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $814 in Putrajaya versus $1,447 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 78% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.