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: $644 in Semarang versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,036 in Semarang versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,429 in Semarang versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Semarang costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Semarang is 52% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$13.07 MX$228

-86.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.50 Rp 224.6K

$53.8 MX$936

-76.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$9.68 MX$169

-62.40%

Cappuccino

$1.46 Rp 26.2K

$3.74 MX$65.1

-60.96%

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

$0.48 Rp 8,703

$1.62 MX$28.13

-70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 Rp 4,829

$1.16 MX$20.23

-76.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 Rp 36.1K

$3.23 MX$56.2

-37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$4.74 MX$82.5

-39.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 Rp 19.3K

$1.65 MX$28.68

-35.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

$2.75 MX$47.95

-63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.4K

$1.87 MX$32.63

-54.01%

Eggs

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$2.50 MX$43.54

-36.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.13 Rp 110.1K

$10.20 MX$178

-39.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.82 Rp 50.6K

$8.25 MX$144

-65.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.48 Rp 152.4K

$11.82 MX$206

-28.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 Rp 46.6K

$3.01 MX$52.4

-13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.7K

$1.81 MX$31.54

-11.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 35.1K

$2.00 MX$34.81

-2.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$2.00 MX$34.74

-21.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

$2.08 MX$36.30

-40.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.4K

$2.27 MX$39.56

-18.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 Rp 15.6K

$1.46 MX$25.36

-40.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,269

$1.08 MX$18.74

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.29 Rp 41.2K

$4.35 MX$75.7

-47.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 Rp 243.1K

$16.99 MX$296

-20.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 Rp 46.0K

$1.73 MX$30.18

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.58 MX$62.3

-20.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 Rp 4,710

$0.39 MX$6.74

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.96 Rp 232.9K

$18.69 MX$325

-30.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 Rp 15.7K

$1.33 MX$23.08

-34.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 Rp 5,572

$0.28 MX$4.87

10.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.87 Rp 51.5K

$5.25 MX$91.5

-45.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$1.34 MX$23.27

-40.30%

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

$24.8K Rp 445.4M

$19.4K MX$338.0K

27.68%

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

$30.4K Rp 546.4M

$23.8K MX$415.0K

27.58%

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

$92.7 Rp 1.7M

$40.69 MX$709

127.84%

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

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$26.87 MX$468

-89.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.45 Rp 421.5K

$30.51 MX$531

-23.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.69 Rp 425.7K

$52.8 MX$919

-55.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.24 Rp 94.1K

$26.65 MX$464

-80.34%

Cinema Ticket

$3.05 Rp 54.8K

$6.51 MX$113

-53.15%

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

$44.58 Rp 801.1K

$428 MX$7,454

-89.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,388 Rp 42.9M

$10.5K MX$182.8K

-77.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.26 Rp 651.6K

$57.3 MX$997

-36.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 Rp 580.6K

$45.50 MX$792

-28.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 Rp 1.2M

$104 MX$1,812

-35.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.45 Rp 780.8K

$108 MX$1,878

-59.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 Rp 4.6M

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-74.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 Rp 2.7M

$623 MX$10.8K

-75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 Rp 9.8M

$2,109 MX$36.7K

-74.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 Rp 7.5M

$1,218 MX$21.2K

-65.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,179 Rp 21.2M

$3,885 MX$67.6K

-69.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 Rp 9.8M

$2,033 MX$35.4K

-73.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$189 Rp 3.4M

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-81.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.83

11.34

-30.95%

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

Last update for Semarang: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Semarang and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 450% 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 Semarang vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $292 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 126% in total monthly costs ($644 vs $1,456 including rent). Semarang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 450% 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: $255 in Semarang versus $1,003 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 44% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $44.58 in Semarang versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $644 in Semarang versus $1,456 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 126% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.