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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $688 in Surabaya versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,205 in Surabaya versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,722 in Surabaya versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Surabaya costs roughly 58% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Surabaya is 50% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$12.11 MX$205

-86.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.40 Rp 201.0K

$52.2 MX$883

-78.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.24 Rp 57.2K

$10.90 MX$184

-70.28%

Cappuccino

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$4.05 MX$68.5

-61.48%

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

$0.56 Rp 9,841

$1.72 MX$28.99

-67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,572

$1.38 MX$23.28

-81.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.25 Rp 39.6K

$3.47 MX$58.6

-35.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 77.0K

$5.81 MX$98.2

-24.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 Rp 21.4K

$1.85 MX$31.32

-34.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 Rp 23.7K

$3.22 MX$54.5

-58.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 Rp 15.2K

$2.09 MX$35.24

-58.85%

Eggs

$1.21 Rp 21.2K

$2.91 MX$49.16

-58.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.80 Rp 137.5K

$12.49 MX$211

-37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 Rp 52.2K

$10.11 MX$171

-70.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 Rp 138.8K

$15.89 MX$269

-50.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.02 Rp 35.7K

$3.31 MX$56.0

-38.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 Rp 23.4K

$2.13 MX$35.94

-37.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.9K

$2.19 MX$37.02

-14.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 26.9K

$2.45 MX$41.36

-37.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 24.2K

$2.19 MX$36.99

-37.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.0K

$1.90 MX$32.19

1.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 Rp 17.2K

$1.62 MX$27.30

-40.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 Rp 7,050

$1.35 MX$22.81

-70.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$5.43 MX$91.7

-63.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.35 Rp 447.0K

$17.59 MX$297

44.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 Rp 30.1K

$2.07 MX$34.95

-17.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 Rp 50.9K

$4.75 MX$80.2

-39.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 Rp 6,271

$0.34 MX$5.74

5.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.47 Rp 8,334

$2.04 MX$34.48

-76.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,293

$0.58 MX$9.77

-18.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.7K

$5.97 MX$101

-54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.62 MX$27.30

-50.62%

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

$24.7K Rp 435.5M

$22.8K MX$385.5K

8.29%

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

$33.1K Rp 583.3M

$26.7K MX$450.6K

24.10%

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

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$65.2 MX$1,102

36.30%

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

$4.83 Rp 85.2K

$29.87 MX$505

-83.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.84 Rp 349.7K

$36.55 MX$618

-45.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.57 Rp 327.4K

$61.0 MX$1,031

-69.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.54 Rp 115.3K

$26.70 MX$451

-75.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.65 Rp 46.7K

$6.85 MX$116

-61.31%

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

$286 Rp 5.0M

$453 MX$7,662

-36.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,694 Rp 170.9M

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-27.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 Rp 1.3M

$75.0 MX$1,267

-5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.47 Rp 695.8K

$55.3 MX$934

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$114 MX$1,920

-28.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 Rp 1.3M

$123 MX$2,073

-38.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$290 Rp 5.1M

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-74.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 Rp 2.6M

$712 MX$12.0K

-79.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 Rp 22.5M

$2,571 MX$43.4K

-50.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$618 Rp 10.9M

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-52.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,231 Rp 39.3M

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-44.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,073 Rp 18.9M

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-48.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$277 Rp 4.9M

$1,047 MX$17.7K

-73.52%

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 Surabaya: September 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $290 in Surabaya and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 278% 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: $11.00 in Surabaya vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $345 per month, with Surabaya 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

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

Surabaya and Mexico City differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($688 vs $1,646 including rent). Surabaya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 278% 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: $290 in Surabaya versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $286 in Surabaya versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Surabaya – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in Surabaya versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surabaya but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surabaya 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 Surabaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.