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: $668 in Samarinda versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Samarinda versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,417 in Samarinda versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Samarinda costs roughly 60% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Samarinda is 51% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$11.92 MX$206

-85.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.45 Rp 255.8K

$51.6 MX$890

-72.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.33 Rp 59.0K

$11.41 MX$197

-70.82%

Cappuccino

$1.51 Rp 26.7K

$3.99 MX$68.9

-62.16%

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

$0.45 Rp 8,041

$1.66 MX$28.61

-72.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,096

$1.33 MX$22.87

-82.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 Rp 42.8K

$3.47 MX$59.9

-30.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 Rp 62.8K

$5.90 MX$102

-39.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.88 MX$32.36

-42.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 Rp 15.3K

$3.25 MX$56.1

-73.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.66 Rp 11.7K

$2.16 MX$37.26

-69.44%

Eggs

$1.47 Rp 26.0K

$2.90 MX$49.94

-49.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 Rp 134.9K

$12.86 MX$222

-40.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 Rp 63.4K

$10.05 MX$173

-64.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.18 Rp 180.2K

$15.86 MX$273

-35.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 Rp 91.1K

$3.29 MX$56.8

56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.01 MX$34.60

-44.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$2.20 MX$37.93

-49.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 Rp 25.5K

$2.36 MX$40.63

-38.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.5K

$2.05 MX$35.43

-35.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 Rp 33.5K

$1.90 MX$32.79

-0.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-54.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 9,912

$1.40 MX$24.09

-60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$5.46 MX$94.2

-61.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.88 Rp 369.8K

$17.65 MX$304

18.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$2.06 MX$35.44

-16.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$4.68 MX$80.8

-36.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 Rp 5,563

$0.34 MX$5.84

-8.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 Rp 8,867

$2.10 MX$36.15

-76.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,160

$0.56 MX$9.64

-48.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$5.81 MX$100

-49.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.3K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-49.69%

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

$26.2K Rp 464.2M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

14.78%

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

$30.6K Rp 542.1M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

14.44%

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

$69.6 Rp 1.2M

$65.2 MX$1,124

6.72%

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

$4.76 Rp 84.3K

$30.09 MX$519

-84.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.69 Rp 348.7K

$37.18 MX$641

-47.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.10 Rp 355.8K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-66.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.41 Rp 131.2K

$26.55 MX$458

-72.09%

Cinema Ticket

$2.77 Rp 49.1K

$7.04 MX$121

-60.65%

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

$98.8 Rp 1.7M

$465 MX$8,012

-78.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,725 Rp 119.1M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-49.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.32 Rp 731.7K

$75.9 MX$1,308

-45.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 Rp 528.5K

$56.0 MX$965

-46.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$112 MX$1,929

-33.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$121 MX$2,078

-34.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 Rp 3.5M

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-82.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$135 Rp 2.4M

$721 MX$12.4K

-81.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$483 Rp 8.5M

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-80.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 Rp 6.3M

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-72.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,143 Rp 20.2M

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-71.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$687 Rp 12.2M

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-67.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 Rp 6.0M

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-67.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.46

11.3

-16.28%

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

Last update for Samarinda: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $198 in Samarinda and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 205% 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: $14.00 in Samarinda vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $345 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 149% in total monthly costs ($668 vs $1,660 including rent). Samarinda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 205% 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: $198 in Samarinda versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $98.8 in Samarinda versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samarinda – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $668 in Samarinda versus $1,660 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 149% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.