Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Subang Jaya and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $950 in Subang Jaya versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,439 in Subang Jaya versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,927 in Subang Jaya versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

Living in Subang Jaya costs roughly 43% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Subang Jaya is 31% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 MYR 15.15

$12.14 MX$206

-69.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.69 MYR 80.1

$53.9 MX$914

-63.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 MYR 19.26

$11.09 MX$188

-57.35%

Cappuccino

$2.91 MYR 11.83

$4.10 MX$69.5

-29.02%

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

$0.74 MYR 2.99

$1.68 MX$28.53

-55.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 MYR 1.49

$1.39 MX$23.55

-73.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.13 MYR 16.80

$3.33 MX$56.5

24.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 MYR 18.61

$5.88 MX$99.7

-22.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MYR 7.54

$1.85 MX$31.41

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$3.17 MX$53.8

-65.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 MYR 7.06

$2.07 MX$35.13

-16.43%

Eggs

$2.15 MYR 8.76

$2.93 MX$49.67

-26.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.43 MYR 54.6

$12.59 MX$214

6.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 MYR 19.86

$10.11 MX$172

-51.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.99 MYR 36.58

$16.09 MX$273

-44.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MYR 11.65

$3.39 MX$57.5

-15.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MYR 7.91

$2.08 MX$35.26

-6.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 MYR 9.81

$2.12 MX$35.97

13.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 MYR 5.77

$2.41 MX$40.95

-41.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 MYR 4.38

$2.13 MX$36.11

-49.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 MYR 4.58

$2.01 MX$34.02

-43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$1.55 MX$26.21

-29.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 MYR 2.32

$1.36 MX$23.15

-58.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.49 MYR 18.25

$5.77 MX$97.8

-22.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.22 MYR 78.2

$17.74 MX$301

8.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.91 MYR 11.82

$2.07 MX$35.11

40.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 MYR 16.45

$4.61 MX$78.3

-12.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 MYR 3.61

$0.37 MX$6.21

140.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.40 MYR 50.5

$21.18 MX$359

-41.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.20 MYR 4.90

$2.05 MX$34.84

-41.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 MYR 1.58

$0.58 MX$9.79

-32.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 MYR 20.59

$6.07 MX$103

-16.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 MYR 3.41

$1.55 MX$26.34

-45.81%

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

$41.5K MYR 168.7K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

81.30%

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

$35.8K MYR 145.4K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

31.28%

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

$38.14 MYR 155

$67.4 MX$1,144

-43.42%

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

$9.90 MYR 40.28

$30.62 MX$520

-67.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.37 MYR 119

$37.24 MX$632

-21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.78 MYR 101

$61.5 MX$1,043

-59.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.51 MYR 10.23

$27.12 MX$460

-90.74%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 MYR 22.67

$7.11 MX$121

-21.66%

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

$298 MYR 1,211

$456 MX$7,739

-34.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.9K MYR 44.3K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-20.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 MYR 244

$74.2 MX$1,259

-19.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 MYR 143

$57.0 MX$967

-38.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 MYR 347

$115 MX$1,958

-26.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.3 MYR 290

$122 MX$2,061

-41.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 MYR 2,338

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-49.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 MYR 1,430

$709 MX$12.0K

-50.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 MYR 2,858

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-72.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$614 MYR 2,498

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-52.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,410 MYR 9,806

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-39.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,843 MYR 7,497

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-13.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$909 MYR 3,697

$1,082 MX$18.4K

-16.01%

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 Subang Jaya: September 5, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Subang Jaya and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 19% 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 Subang Jaya vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $345 per month, with Subang Jaya 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

Subang Jaya vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Subang Jaya and Mexico City differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($950 vs $1,677 including rent). Subang Jaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 19% 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: $575 in Subang Jaya versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Subang Jaya runs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $298 in Subang Jaya versus $456 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $950 in Subang Jaya versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Subang Jaya but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Subang Jaya 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, Subang Jaya 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 Subang Jaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.