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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $581 in Semarang versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $928 in Semarang versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,274 in Semarang versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Semarang costs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Semarang is 58% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.45 Rp 25.5K

$12.14 MX$206

-88.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.54 Rp 185.6K

$53.9 MX$914

-80.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.3K

$11.09 MX$188

-71.69%

Cappuccino

$1.24 Rp 21.9K

$4.10 MX$69.5

-69.76%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$1.68 MX$28.53

-70.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 Rp 3,148

$1.39 MX$23.55

-87.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$3.33 MX$56.5

-47.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 Rp 60.3K

$5.88 MX$99.7

-41.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 Rp 19.8K

$1.85 MX$31.41

-39.46%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 Rp 16.9K

$3.17 MX$53.8

-69.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.79 Rp 14.0K

$2.07 MX$35.13

-61.84%

Eggs

$1.38 Rp 24.3K

$2.93 MX$49.67

-52.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 Rp 99.6K

$12.59 MX$214

-55.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 41.6K

$10.11 MX$172

-76.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.16 Rp 143.6K

$16.09 MX$273

-49.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 Rp 44.5K

$3.39 MX$57.5

-25.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 Rp 27.0K

$2.08 MX$35.26

-26.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 31.9K

$2.12 MX$35.97

-14.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.41 MX$40.95

-35.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 31.5K

$2.13 MX$36.11

-15.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 39.3K

$2.01 MX$34.02

10.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 Rp 14.6K

$1.55 MX$26.21

-46.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 Rp 7,375

$1.36 MX$23.15

-69.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.26 Rp 39.8K

$5.77 MX$97.8

-60.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 Rp 249.5K

$17.74 MX$301

-20.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 Rp 41.4K

$2.07 MX$35.11

13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 Rp 47.5K

$4.61 MX$78.3

-41.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,246

$0.37 MX$6.21

-35.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.32 Rp 252.2K

$21.18 MX$359

-32.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 Rp 15.6K

$2.05 MX$34.84

-56.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 Rp 5,129

$0.58 MX$9.79

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.55 MX$26.34

-48.39%

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

$23.0K Rp 405.1M

$22.9K MX$388.1K

0.58%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.6M

$27.2K MX$462.0K

14.20%

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

$68.1 Rp 1.2M

$67.4 MX$1,144

0.98%

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

$2.69 Rp 47.3K

$30.62 MX$520

-91.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.77 Rp 365.6K

$37.24 MX$632

-44.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.00 Rp 369.8K

$61.5 MX$1,043

-65.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.76 Rp 83.8K

$27.12 MX$460

-82.45%

Cinema Ticket

$2.22 Rp 39.1K

$7.11 MX$121

-68.78%

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

$40.97 Rp 721.3K

$456 MX$7,739

-91.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-83.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.65 Rp 504.3K

$74.2 MX$1,259

-61.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.45 Rp 518.4K

$57.0 MX$967

-48.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 Rp 1.0M

$115 MX$1,958

-49.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.84 Rp 701.5K

$122 MX$2,061

-67.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 Rp 4.0M

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-80.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$143 Rp 2.5M

$709 MX$12.0K

-79.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 Rp 8.7M

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-80.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 Rp 6.9M

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-69.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,178 Rp 20.7M

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-70.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$557 Rp 9.8M

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-73.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 Rp 3.5M

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-81.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

11.3

-30.71%

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

Last update for Semarang: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Semarang and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 452% 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: $11.00 in Semarang vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $345 per month, with Semarang 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

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

Semarang and Mexico City differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($581 vs $1,677 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 452% 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: $229 in Semarang versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Semarang runs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.97 in Semarang versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $581 in Semarang versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Semarang but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Semarang 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 Semarang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.