๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $649 in Sidoarjo versus $1,466 in Mexico City.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $990 in Sidoarjo versus $2,325 in Mexico City.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,331 in Sidoarjo versus $3,184 in Mexico City.
๐Living in Sidoarjo costs roughly 56% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Sidoarjo is 52% below, Mexico City is 9% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$1.51Rpย 26.0K
$13.30MX$231
-88.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$12.44Rpย 213.8K
$53.8MX$932
-76.87%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.12Rpย 53.7K
$9.42MX$163
-66.88%
Cappuccino
$0.63Rpย 10.8K
$3.59MX$62.3
-82.45%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51Rpย 8,692
$1.62MX$28.13
-68.52%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.26Rpย 4,410
$1.12MX$19.49
-76.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44Rpย 41.9K
$3.25MX$56.3
-24.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.07Rpย 70.0K
$4.65MX$80.6
-12.47%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.37Rpย 23.6K
$1.64MX$28.37
-16.46%
White Bread(500g)
$1.08Rpย 18.5K
$2.65MX$46.00
-59.25%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99Rpย 17.0K
$1.96MX$33.99
-49.49%
Eggs
$1.43Rpย 24.5K
$2.54MX$44.08
-43.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.28Rpย 159.4K
$9.97MX$173
-6.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.53Rpย 43.5K
$8.39MX$145
-69.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$6.18Rpย 106.2K
$11.83MX$205
-47.76%
Apples(1kg)
$0.96Rpย 16.4K
$2.86MX$49.62
-66.43%
Banana(1kg)
$0.60Rpย 10.3K
$1.73MX$30.05
-65.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.82Rpย 14.0K
$1.99MX$34.50
-58.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.63Rpย 10.9K
$2.05MX$35.51
-69.27%
Potato(1kg)
$0.79Rpย 13.6K
$2.06MX$35.64
-61.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.08Rpย 18.5K
$2.28MX$39.54
-52.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.30Rpย 5,099
$1.45MX$25.05
-79.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.42Rpย 7,245
$1.09MX$18.83
-61.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.09Rpย 35.9K
$4.27MX$73.9
-51.05%
Wine(Bottle)
$26.16Rpย 449.6K
$14.67MX$254
78.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.83Rpย 31.5K
$1.76MX$30.58
3.98%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.30Rpย 56.8K
$3.57MX$61.8
-7.56%
๐ Getting Around
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.32Rpย 5,517
$0.38MX$6.67
-15.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.74Rpย 167.4K
$18.73MX$325
-48.00%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.44Rpย 7,583
$1.39MX$24.09
-68.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.31Rpย 5,390
$0.30MX$5.26
3.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.26Rpย 21.6K
$5.41MX$93.8
-76.71%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84Rpย 14.4K
$1.34MX$23.22
-37.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.6KRpย 354.1M
$18.9KMX$326.7K
9.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.7KRpย 596.9M
$23.2KMX$402.0K
49.70%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$82.7Rpย 1.4M
$40.30MX$698
105.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09Rpย 70.3K
$27.15MX$471
-84.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.33Rpย 211.9K
$29.46MX$510
-58.15%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.18Rpย 398.4K
$52.7MX$914
-56.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.02Rpย 103.5K
$26.17MX$454
-77.00%
Cinema Ticket
$2.98Rpย 51.2K
$6.18MX$107
-51.78%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$191Rpย 3.3M
$441MX$7,637
-56.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,506Rpย 163.4M
$10.7KMX$185.4K
-11.14%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.8Rpย 1.1M
$57.2MX$992
9.68%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.51Rpย 661.9K
$45.04MX$781
-14.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.7Rpย 1.4M
$103MX$1,793
-23.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1Rpย 1.4M
$109MX$1,884
-22.62%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$256Rpย 4.4M
$1,000MX$17.3K
-74.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$160Rpย 2.8M
$632MX$11.0K
-74.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$576Rpย 9.9M
$2,141MX$37.1K
-73.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$335Rpย 5.8M
$1,253MX$21.7K
-73.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,246Rpย 21.4M
$3,745MX$64.9K
-66.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$787Rpย 13.5M
$2,381MX$41.3K
-66.95%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Sidoarjo
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$1,079MX$18.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.33
11.34
-26.54%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Sidoarjo: April 20, 2026
Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $256 in Sidoarjo and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $12 in Sidoarjo vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $187 vs $286 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 Mexico City?
Sidoarjo and Mexico City differ by about 126% in total monthly costs ($649 vs $1,466 including rent). Sidoarjo is meaningfully more affordable โ 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 $974 in Sidoarjo and $2,199 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 Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $256 in Sidoarjo versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Sidoarjo and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Sidoarjo runs roughly 92% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Sidoarjo and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $191 in Sidoarjo versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $649 in Sidoarjo versus $1,466 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 โ 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 โ expenses run 126% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.