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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $696 in Samarinda versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,067 in Samarinda versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,439 in Samarinda versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Samarinda costs roughly 53% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Samarinda is 48% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$13.14 MX$227

-88.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.05 Rp 217.5K

$53.5 MX$926

-77.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 Rp 106.0K

$9.33 MX$161

-37.08%

Cappuccino

$1.65 Rp 29.8K

$3.70 MX$64.0

-55.41%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,909

$1.60 MX$27.76

-69.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 Rp 6,902

$1.12 MX$19.34

-66.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 Rp 44.6K

$3.14 MX$54.3

-21.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 64.7K

$4.85 MX$83.9

-26.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 Rp 21.1K

$1.65 MX$28.61

-29.09%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 Rp 16.7K

$2.71 MX$46.96

-65.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.9K

$1.91 MX$33.03

-59.69%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

$2.59 MX$44.81

-38.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.96 Rp 143.6K

$9.81 MX$170

-18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.98 Rp 71.8K

$8.43 MX$146

-52.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 Rp 197.5K

$11.93 MX$206

-8.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.68 Rp 102.6K

$2.95 MX$51.1

92.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 Rp 22.8K

$1.74 MX$30.10

-27.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

$2.04 MX$35.38

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$2.06 MX$35.64

-23.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 Rp 26.1K

$2.15 MX$37.20

-32.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 36.5K

$2.26 MX$39.02

-10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 Rp 16.5K

$1.39 MX$23.97

-34.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 10.0K

$1.12 MX$19.31

-50.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 40.9K

$4.22 MX$73.0

-46.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.14 Rp 363.6K

$17.51 MX$303

15.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 Rp 36.7K

$1.71 MX$29.58

19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 58.0K

$3.63 MX$62.8

-11.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 Rp 5,810

$0.35 MX$6.10

-8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.05 Rp 181.4K

$19.32 MX$334

-47.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.94 Rp 17.0K

$1.38 MX$23.80

-31.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 Rp 6,821

$0.28 MX$4.77

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 51.4K

$5.28 MX$91.3

-46.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 Rp 11.5K

$1.36 MX$23.50

-52.94%

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

$24.5K Rp 441.9M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

28.14%

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

$27.4K Rp 495.4M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

16.25%

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

$70.0 Rp 1.3M

$40.53 MX$701

72.74%

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

$4.32 Rp 78.1K

$27.38 MX$474

-84.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.17 Rp 418.2K

$30.38 MX$526

-23.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.10 Rp 417.0K

$52.2 MX$903

-55.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.00 Rp 108.3K

$26.48 MX$458

-77.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.15 Rp 56.8K

$6.19 MX$107

-49.11%

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

$95.0 Rp 1.7M

$425 MX$7,355

-77.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,587 Rp 137.0M

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-29.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.68 Rp 752.4K

$58.3 MX$1,009

-28.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.38 Rp 548.5K

$44.57 MX$771

-31.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 Rp 1.2M

$103 MX$1,791

-34.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 Rp 1.4M

$109 MX$1,881

-30.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$257 Rp 4.6M

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-74.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 Rp 2.8M

$623 MX$10.8K

-75.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 Rp 10.5M

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-72.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 Rp 6.1M

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-72.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,237 Rp 22.3M

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-67.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$667 Rp 12.0M

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-68.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$322 Rp 5.8M

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-69.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.34

-19.31%

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

Last update for Samarinda: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $257 in Samarinda and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 227% 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: $12.00 in Samarinda vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $231 vs $293 per month, with Samarinda 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

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

Samarinda and Mexico City differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($696 vs $1,472 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 227% 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: $257 in Samarinda 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 Samarinda runs roughly 92% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $95.0 in Samarinda versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $696 in Samarinda versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Samarinda but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Samarinda 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.

Expats usually find Samarinda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.