Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sungai Petani and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Sungai Petani: $804 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $9,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

39

Cost of Living Index in Sungai Petani
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Sungai Petani Living Index
78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

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Sungai Petani

🇲🇾 Malaysia

$804

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sungai Petani and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sungai Petani and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $804 in Sungai Petani versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

Sungai Petani $804
Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,203 in Sungai Petani versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

Sungai Petani $1,203
Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,602 in Sungai Petani versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

Sungai Petani $1,602
Mexico City $3,490

Living in Sungai Petani costs roughly 50% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sungai Petani is 41% below, Mexico City is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 MYR 10.19

$10.62 MX$199

-76.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.12 MYR 69.5

$48.35 MX$908

-64.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.49 MYR 18.23

$10.35 MX$194

-56.62%

Cappuccino

$2.47 MYR 10.03

$3.69 MX$69.3

-33.06%

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

$0.75 MYR 3.06

$1.67 MX$31.29

-55.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 MYR 1.56

$1.27 MX$23.76

-69.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MYR 14.30

$3.19 MX$59.9

10.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 MYR 18.03

$5.31 MX$99.6

-16.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 MYR 7.28

$1.72 MX$32.38

4.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 MYR 4.47

$3.04 MX$57.1

-63.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 MYR 6.85

$1.94 MX$36.44

-12.89%

Eggs

$2.26 MYR 9.18

$2.89 MX$54.2

-21.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.98 MYR 40.49

$10.97 MX$206

-9.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.52 MYR 18.34

$9.25 MX$174

-51.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 MYR 36.06

$15.13 MX$284

-41.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MYR 12.24

$3.05 MX$57.2

-0.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MYR 6.56

$1.94 MX$36.45

-16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 MYR 11.01

$2.03 MX$38.02

33.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 MYR 5.68

$2.31 MX$43.46

-39.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 MYR 4.44

$2.04 MX$38.21

-46.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 MYR 4.35

$1.80 MX$33.79

-40.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 MYR 4.60

$1.48 MX$27.77

-23.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MYR 2.38

$1.27 MX$23.80

-53.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 MYR 17.48

$5.30 MX$99.6

-18.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.25 MYR 78.1

$16.10 MX$302

19.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 MYR 11.61

$1.98 MX$37.23

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 MYR 20.90

$4.25 MX$79.8

21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.70 MYR 2.84

$0.31 MX$5.73

125.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$12.26 MYR 49.74

$19.73 MX$371

-37.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 MYR 7.08

$1.84 MX$34.50

-4.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 MYR 1.53

$0.53 MX$10.02

-28.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 MYR 30.38

$5.30 MX$99.4

41.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.48 MYR 1.97

$1.51 MX$28.36

-68.21%

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

$44.6K MYR 181.1K

$21.8K MX$408.4K

105.16%

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

$35.0K MYR 141.9K

$24.0K MX$450.3K

45.84%

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

$36.69 MYR 149

$63.0 MX$1,182

-41.74%

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

$9.93 MYR 40.28

$27.39 MX$514

-63.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.96 MYR 81.0

$35.67 MX$670

-44.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.41 MYR 99.0

$58.9 MX$1,107

-58.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.42 MYR 58.5

$23.64 MX$444

-39.00%

Cinema Ticket

$2.86 MYR 11.62

$6.40 MX$120

-55.31%

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

$397 MYR 1,609

$432 MX$8,103

-8.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K MYR 42.8K

$11.4K MX$214.5K

-7.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 MYR 241

$68.2 MX$1,281

-12.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.60 MYR 140

$53.1 MX$997

-34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.4 MYR 302

$108 MX$2,023

-30.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.8 MYR 283

$117 MX$2,202

-40.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 MYR 731

$1,113 MX$20.9K

-83.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$241 MYR 976

$710 MX$13.3K

-66.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$480 MYR 1,947

$2,588 MX$48.6K

-81.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 MYR 1,481

$1,406 MX$26.4K

-74.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,202 MYR 4,877

$3,631 MX$68.2K

-66.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$480 MYR 1,948

$2,135 MX$40.1K

-77.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$490 MYR 1,986

$946 MX$17.8K

-48.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

11.35

-64.41%

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

Last update for Sungai Petani: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Sungai Petani

$247 30.7%

Mexico City

$320 19.9% 29.5% $73

Accommodation & Living

Sungai Petani

$241 29.9%

Mexico City

$710 44.2% 195% $470

Clothing & Footwear

Sungai Petani

$107 13.3%

Mexico City

$156 9.7% 45.4% $49

Eating Out

Sungai Petani

$94 11.7%

Mexico City

$199 12.4% 111% $104

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sungai Petani

$67 8.3%

Mexico City

$126 7.8% 89.3% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Sungai Petani

$30 3.8%

Mexico City

$72 4.5% 138% $42

Getting Around

Sungai Petani

$19 2.3%

Mexico City

$25 1.6% 36.2% $6.8

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Sungai Petani and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 93% 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: $17 in Sungai Petani vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $247 vs $320 per month, with Sungai Petani cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇾 Sungai Petani

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

01:30 1:30 AM

11:30 11:30 AM

14 h behind Sungai Petani

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

545,053

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Malaysian Ringgit MYR RM

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1 MYR = 0.246 USD

1 MYR = 0.221 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to MYR – Malaysian Ringgit Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇾 Malaysian Ringgit (RM)

Malaysian Ringgit exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 4.06 MYR (1 MYR = 0.246 USD). 1 EUR = 4.53 MYR (1 MYR = 0.221 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to MYR in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Sungai Petani Mexico City 16,500 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Sungai Petani
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Sungai Petani vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $804 in Sungai Petani and $1,608 in Mexico City, so Sungai Petani is about 50% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 48% lower in Sungai Petani. 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: $180 in Sungai Petani versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sungai Petani runs roughly 38% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $397 in Sungai Petani versus $432 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $804 in Sungai Petani versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Sungai Petani but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sungai Petani 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.

Expats usually find Sungai Petani gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.