Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Seri Iskandar and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $691 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $897 in Seri Iskandar versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,102 in Seri Iskandar versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 MYR 10.81

$12.98 MX$226

-78.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.30 MYR 112

$53.1 MX$923

-46.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.51 MYR 17.81

$9.72 MX$169

-53.60%

Cappuccino

$0.90 MYR 3.57

$3.75 MX$65.2

-76.00%

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

$0.51 MYR 2.01

$1.57 MX$27.30

-67.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 MYR 0.98

$1.13 MX$19.64

-77.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.80 MYR 11.05

$3.18 MX$55.3

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.48 MYR 13.76

$4.66 MX$81.1

-25.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 MYR 6.16

$1.62 MX$28.21

-3.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 MYR 3.64

$2.71 MX$47.09

-66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.45 MYR 1.78

$1.88 MX$32.70

-76.06%

Eggs

$1.93 MYR 7.60

$2.51 MX$43.65

-23.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.15 MYR 20.36

$10.08 MX$175

-48.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.85 MYR 7.31

$8.29 MX$144

-77.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.28 MYR 16.93

$11.94 MX$208

-64.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 MYR 8.60

$2.86 MX$49.77

-23.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 MYR 6.16

$1.75 MX$30.45

-10.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MYR 7.40

$2.08 MX$36.27

-10.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.89 MYR 3.53

$1.97 MX$34.27

-54.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 MYR 2.28

$2.16 MX$37.58

-73.15%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 MYR 3.66

$2.18 MX$37.94

-57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 MYR 3.89

$1.39 MX$24.20

-28.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.24

$1.12 MX$19.57

-49.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MYR 16.44

$4.20 MX$73.1

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.64 MYR 30.17

$14.25 MX$248

-46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 MYR 9.10

$1.76 MX$30.68

30.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MYR 14.33

$3.68 MX$64.1

-1.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 MYR 4.23

$0.39 MX$6.71

174.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.59 MYR 45.77

$18.66 MX$325

-37.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 MYR 3.86

$1.39 MX$24.12

-29.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MYR 4.55

$0.30 MX$5.29

283.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.77 MYR 18.84

$5.42 MX$94.3

-11.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 MYR 1.85

$1.35 MX$23.50

-65.19%

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

$19.0K MYR 74.9K

$18.9K MX$328.6K

0.47%

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

$19.0K MYR 75.2K

$23.2K MX$402.8K

-17.77%

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

$65.6 MYR 259

$40.82 MX$710

60.80%

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

$9.67 MYR 38.22

$27.50 MX$479

-64.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.71 MYR 62.1

$30.38 MX$529

-48.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.13 MYR 51.9

$53.4 MX$930

-75.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.06 MYR 23.95

$26.30 MX$458

-76.96%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 MYR 14.39

$6.27 MX$109

-41.95%

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

$168 MYR 662

$436 MX$7,588

-61.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,320 MYR 36.8K

$10.5K MX$182.1K

-10.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.37 MYR 64.7

$56.8 MX$988

-71.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.23 MYR 32.49

$44.79 MX$779

-81.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.4 MYR 231

$103 MX$1,789

-43.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.07 MYR 139

$108 MX$1,878

-67.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$390 MYR 1,539

$1,000 MX$17.4K

-61.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 MYR 1,054

$620 MX$10.8K

-56.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$652 MYR 2,575

$2,137 MX$37.2K

-69.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$154 MYR 606

$1,235 MX$21.5K

-87.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,937 MYR 7,653

$3,865 MX$67.3K

-49.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$965 MYR 3,810

$2,332 MX$40.6K

-58.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$375 MYR 1,481

$1,067 MX$18.6K

-64.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-82.36%

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

Last update for Seri Iskandar: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $390 in Seri Iskandar and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 185% 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: $28.00 in Seri Iskandar vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $286 per month, with Seri Iskandar 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

Seri Iskandar vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seri Iskandar and Mexico City differ by about 115% in total monthly costs ($691 vs $1,484 including rent). Seri Iskandar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 185% less. 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: $390 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seri Iskandar runs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $168 in Seri Iskandar versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $691 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seri Iskandar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Seri Iskandar 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, Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 115% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.