🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $628 in Sidoarjo versus $1,677 in Mexico City.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $981 in Sidoarjo versus $2,608 in Mexico City.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,335 in Sidoarjo versus $3,540 in Mexico City.
🌍Living in Sidoarjo costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Sidoarjo is 54% below, Mexico City is 22% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.65Rp 29.1K
$12.14MX$205
-86.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$11.09Rp 195.4K
$53.9MX$911
-79.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.25Rp 57.3K
$11.09MX$187
-70.69%
Cappuccino
$0.59Rp 10.3K
$4.10MX$69.3
-85.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43Rp 7,555
$1.68MX$28.44
-74.40%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.28Rp 4,958
$1.39MX$23.47
-79.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.22Rp 39.1K
$3.33MX$56.3
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.13Rp 72.8K
$5.88MX$99.4
-29.76%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.23Rp 21.7K
$1.85MX$31.30
-33.51%
White Bread(500g)
$0.99Rp 17.5K
$3.17MX$53.6
-68.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.89Rp 15.7K
$2.07MX$35.01
-57.00%
Eggs
$1.19Rp 21.0K
$2.93MX$49.51
-59.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.80Rp 137.5K
$12.59MX$213
-38.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$1.88Rp 33.1K
$10.11MX$171
-81.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.71Rp 100.6K
$16.09MX$272
-64.51%
Apples(1kg)
$0.94Rp 16.6K
$3.39MX$57.3
-72.27%
Banana(1kg)
$0.59Rp 10.4K
$2.08MX$35.14
-71.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.77Rp 13.5K
$2.12MX$35.85
-63.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.58Rp 10.2K
$2.41MX$40.82
-75.93%
Potato(1kg)
$0.77Rp 13.5K
$2.13MX$36.00
-63.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.01Rp 17.7K
$2.01MX$33.90
-49.75%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.27Rp 4,705
$1.55MX$26.13
-82.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.40Rp 7,094
$1.36MX$23.08
-70.59%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96Rp 34.6K
$5.77MX$97.5
-66.03%
Wine(Bottle)
$25.37Rp 446.8K
$17.74MX$300
43.01%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70Rp 29.9K
$2.07MX$35.00
-17.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90Rp 51.0K
$4.61MX$78.0
-37.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29Rp 5,115
$0.37MX$6.19
-21.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$21.18MX$358
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.41Rp 7,173
$2.05MX$34.73
-80.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.38Rp 6,737
$0.58MX$9.75
-34.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.12Rp 19.7K
$6.07MX$103
-81.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82Rp 14.4K
$1.55MX$26.25
-47.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8KRp 436.1M
$22.9KMX$386.8K
8.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8KRp 578.0M
$27.2KMX$460.5K
20.49%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$86.9Rp 1.5M
$67.4MX$1,140
28.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.87Rp 85.7K
$30.62MX$518
-84.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.19Rp 197.1K
$37.24MX$630
-69.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$20.05Rp 353.1K
$61.5MX$1,039
-67.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.41Rp 148.1K
$27.12MX$459
-68.99%
Cinema Ticket
$2.72Rp 47.8K
$7.11MX$120
-61.74%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$95.6Rp 1.7M
$456MX$7,714
-79.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,813Rp 172.8M
$13.7KMX$231.5K
-28.34%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.6Rp 1.2M
$74.2MX$1,255
-4.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.14Rp 707.0K
$57.0MX$964
-29.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.4Rp 1.4M
$115MX$1,951
-29.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.1Rp 1.3M
$122MX$2,055
-37.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$221Rp 3.9M
$1,148MX$19.4K
-80.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$157Rp 2.8M
$709MX$12.0K
-77.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$556Rp 9.8M
$2,577MX$43.6K
-78.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$373Rp 6.6M
$1,295MX$21.9K
-71.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,166Rp 20.5M
$4,005MX$67.7K
-70.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$678Rp 11.9M
$2,130MX$36.0K
-68.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,082MX$18.3K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.5
11.3
-33.63%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sidoarjo: September 6, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $221 in Sidoarjo and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $11.00 in Sidoarjo vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $170 vs $345 per month, with Sidoarjo 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
Sidoarjo vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Sidoarjo and in Mexico City?
Sidoarjo and Mexico City differ by about 167% in total monthly costs ($628 vs $1,677 including rent). Sidoarjo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Sidoarjo compared to Mexico City?
You'd need roughly $942 in Sidoarjo and $2,515 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Sidoarjo and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $221 in Sidoarjo versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sidoarjo and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $95.6 in Sidoarjo versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sidoarjo – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $628 in Sidoarjo versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sidoarjo but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sidoarjo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Sidoarjo and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Sidoarjo or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Sidoarjo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.