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: $796 in Putrajaya versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Putrajaya versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,614 in Putrajaya versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Putrajaya costs roughly 46% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Putrajaya is 40% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 MYR 14.53

$13.14 MX$228

-72.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.70 MYR 76.4

$53.5 MX$928

-65.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.58 MYR 18.70

$9.33 MX$162

-50.91%

Cappuccino

$2.86 MYR 11.69

$3.70 MX$64.1

-22.70%

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

$0.80 MYR 3.26

$1.60 MX$27.80

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.52

$1.12 MX$19.37

-66.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.45 MYR 14.08

$3.14 MX$54.4

9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 MYR 17.94

$4.85 MX$84.0

-9.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MYR 6.82

$1.65 MX$28.65

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 MYR 3.41

$2.71 MX$47.03

-69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 MYR 5.25

$1.91 MX$33.08

-32.98%

Eggs

$1.88 MYR 7.68

$2.59 MX$44.88

-27.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.57 MYR 26.81

$9.81 MX$170

-33.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 MYR 17.60

$8.43 MX$146

-48.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.23 MYR 37.67

$11.93 MX$207

-22.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 MYR 13.12

$2.95 MX$51.2

8.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MYR 5.64

$1.74 MX$30.15

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 MYR 12.69

$2.04 MX$35.43

52.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 MYR 6.32

$2.06 MX$35.70

-24.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 MYR 6.19

$2.15 MX$37.25

-29.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.07

$2.26 MX$39.08

-23.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 MYR 6.77

$1.39 MX$24.01

19.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 MYR 2.12

$1.12 MX$19.34

-53.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MYR 17.43

$4.22 MX$73.1

1.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 MYR 54.3

$17.51 MX$303

-24.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 MYR 11.58

$1.71 MX$29.62

66.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 MYR 11.73

$3.63 MX$62.9

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MYR 2.94

$0.35 MX$6.11

105.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.84 MYR 48.33

$19.32 MX$335

-38.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.99

$1.38 MX$23.84

-28.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 MYR 4.01

$0.28 MX$4.78

250.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 MYR 24.57

$5.28 MX$91.4

14.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 MYR 1.89

$1.36 MX$23.53

-66.18%

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

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

$19.1K MX$331.0K

86.80%

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

$37.9K MYR 154.8K

$23.6K MX$409.1K

60.65%

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

$45.30 MYR 185

$40.53 MX$702

11.77%

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

$9.28 MYR 37.88

$27.38 MX$474

-66.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.62 MYR 92.4

$30.38 MX$527

-25.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.22 MYR 156

$52.2 MX$905

-26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.01 MYR 36.80

$26.48 MX$459

-65.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 MYR 20.78

$6.19 MX$107

-17.77%

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

$186 MYR 759

$425 MX$7,366

-56.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,832 MYR 27.9K

$10.7K MX$186.0K

-36.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.0 MYR 269

$58.3 MX$1,010

13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.02 MYR 77.6

$44.57 MX$772

-57.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 MYR 301

$103 MX$1,793

-28.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.92 MYR 163

$109 MX$1,884

-63.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$342 MYR 1,396

$1,014 MX$17.6K

-66.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 MYR 959

$623 MX$10.8K

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$620 MYR 2,533

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-70.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 MYR 1,552

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-68.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 MYR 11.0K

$3,792 MX$65.7K

-29.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,803 MYR 7,364

$2,110 MX$36.6K

-14.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,041 MYR 4,251

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-1.05%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $342 in Putrajaya and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 1% 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: $19.00 in Putrajaya vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $219 vs $293 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 85% in total monthly costs ($796 vs $1,472 including rent). Putrajaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1% 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: $342 in Putrajaya versus $1,014 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 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $186 in Putrajaya versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $796 in Putrajaya versus $1,472 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 85% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.