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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $527 in Surakarta versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $849 in Surakarta versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,172 in Surakarta versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Surakarta costs roughly 68% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Surakarta is 62% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.66 Rp 29.3K

$11.92 MX$206

-86.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$11.67 Rp 206.6K

$51.6 MX$890

-77.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 Rp 55.7K

$11.41 MX$197

-72.48%

Cappuccino

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$3.99 MX$68.9

-60.15%

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

$0.49 Rp 8,756

$1.66 MX$28.61

-70.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 Rp 4,051

$1.33 MX$22.87

-82.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 Rp 25.3K

$3.47 MX$59.9

-58.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.4K

$5.90 MX$102

-50.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 Rp 16.1K

$1.88 MX$32.36

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 Rp 13.3K

$3.25 MX$56.1

-76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$2.16 MX$37.26

-64.35%

Eggs

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$2.90 MX$49.94

-65.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 Rp 142.0K

$12.86 MX$222

-37.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$10.05 MX$173

-82.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 Rp 94.8K

$15.86 MX$273

-66.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 Rp 37.4K

$3.29 MX$56.8

-35.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 Rp 22.5K

$2.01 MX$34.60

-36.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.4K

$2.20 MX$37.93

-11.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 Rp 25.8K

$2.36 MX$40.63

-38.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$2.05 MX$35.43

-32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.90 MX$32.79

-12.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 Rp 10.3K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-63.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 Rp 7,247

$1.40 MX$24.09

-70.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.00 Rp 35.4K

$5.46 MX$94.2

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 Rp 151.7K

$17.65 MX$304

-51.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 Rp 30.8K

$2.06 MX$35.44

-15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 Rp 51.6K

$4.68 MX$80.8

-37.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 Rp 6,862

$0.34 MX$5.84

14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.73 Rp 402.5K

$20.81 MX$359

9.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.51 Rp 9,109

$2.10 MX$36.15

-75.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,269

$0.56 MX$9.64

-16.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 Rp 47.8K

$5.81 MX$100

-53.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 Rp 12.9K

$1.61 MX$27.68

-54.66%

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

$25.4K Rp 450.5M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

11.38%

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

$33.5K Rp 592.7M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

25.13%

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

$81.3 Rp 1.4M

$65.2 MX$1,124

24.69%

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

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$30.09 MX$519

-93.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.91 Rp 334.8K

$37.18 MX$641

-49.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$16.12 Rp 285.5K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-73.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.56 Rp 151.6K

$26.55 MX$458

-67.76%

Cinema Ticket

$2.00 Rp 35.5K

$7.04 MX$121

-71.59%

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

$33.61 Rp 595.2K

$465 MX$8,012

-92.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,873 Rp 33.2M

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-85.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 Rp 1.0M

$75.9 MX$1,308

-21.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 Rp 653.5K

$56.0 MX$965

-34.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.7 Rp 1.3M

$112 MX$1,929

-35.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$121 MX$2,078

-44.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-84.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$57.0 Rp 1.0M

$721 MX$12.4K

-92.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$341 Rp 6.0M

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-86.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 Rp 3.5M

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-84.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-84.30%

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 Surakarta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $167 in Surakarta and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 537% 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: $12.00 in Surakarta vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $345 per month, with Surakarta 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

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

Surakarta and Mexico City differ by about 215% in total monthly costs ($527 vs $1,660 including rent). Surakarta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 537% 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: $167 in Surakarta versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Surakarta runs roughly 9% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $33.61 in Surakarta versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $527 in Surakarta versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Surakarta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Surakarta 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 Surakarta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 215% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.