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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $884 in Sibu versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,308 in Sibu versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,733 in Sibu versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Sibu costs roughly 47% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sibu is 35% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 MYR 8.91

$11.92 MX$206

-81.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.54 MYR 79.8

$51.6 MX$890

-62.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.20 MYR 17.16

$11.41 MX$197

-63.19%

Cappuccino

$2.36 MYR 9.65

$3.99 MX$68.9

-40.85%

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

$0.67 MYR 2.73

$1.66 MX$28.61

-59.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 MYR 0.98

$1.33 MX$22.87

-81.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.02 MYR 12.32

$3.47 MX$59.9

-12.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 MYR 17.55

$5.90 MX$102

-27.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MYR 7.23

$1.88 MX$32.36

-5.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$3.25 MX$56.1

-74.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 MYR 5.34

$2.16 MX$37.26

-39.35%

Eggs

$1.97 MYR 8.06

$2.90 MX$49.94

-32.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.04 MYR 61.4

$12.86 MX$222

16.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.22 MYR 17.22

$10.05 MX$173

-58.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.14 MYR 41.40

$15.86 MX$273

-36.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 MYR 13.24

$3.29 MX$56.8

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 MYR 7.53

$2.01 MX$34.60

-8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 MYR 11.18

$2.20 MX$37.93

24.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 MYR 6.13

$2.36 MX$40.63

-36.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 MYR 5.12

$2.05 MX$35.43

-38.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$1.90 MX$32.79

-36.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MYR 4.41

$1.61 MX$27.68

-32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 MYR 2.05

$1.40 MX$24.09

-64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.52 MYR 18.45

$5.46 MX$94.2

-17.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.54 MYR 83.9

$17.65 MX$304

16.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.00 MYR 12.23

$2.06 MX$35.44

45.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 MYR 14.93

$4.68 MX$80.8

-21.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MYR 2.69

$0.34 MX$5.84

94.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.00 MYR 57.2

$20.81 MX$359

-32.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 MYR 5.33

$2.10 MX$36.15

-37.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 MYR 1.80

$0.56 MX$9.64

-21.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.43 MYR 34.41

$5.81 MX$100

45.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 MYR 2.71

$1.61 MX$27.68

-59.01%

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

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

$22.8K MX$393.8K

57.55%

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

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

$26.8K MX$461.2K

31.64%

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

$49.25 MYR 201

$65.2 MX$1,124

-24.44%

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

$7.19 MYR 29.34

$30.09 MX$519

-76.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 MYR 109

$37.18 MX$641

-28.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.76 MYR 113

$59.8 MX$1,030

-53.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.44 MYR 26.30

$26.55 MX$458

-75.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.65 MYR 14.89

$7.04 MX$121

-48.15%

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

$180 MYR 735

$465 MX$8,012

-61.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-62.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 MYR 250

$75.9 MX$1,308

-19.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.18 MYR 148

$56.0 MX$965

-35.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 MYR 380

$112 MX$1,929

-16.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 MYR 283

$121 MX$2,078

-42.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$416 MYR 1,696

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-62.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 MYR 1,466

$721 MX$12.4K

-50.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 MYR 3,201

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-69.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$449 MYR 1,832

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-65.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,916 MYR 7,822

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-51.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,147 MYR 4,682

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-45.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$499 MYR 2,037

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-51.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.2

11.3

-62.83%

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

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $416 in Sibu and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 108% 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: $20.00 in Sibu vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $261 vs $345 per month, with Sibu 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

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

Sibu and Mexico City differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($884 vs $1,660 including rent). Sibu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 108% 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: $416 in Sibu versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $180 in Sibu versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $884 in Sibu versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu 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, Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.