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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Timika versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Timika versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,402 in Timika versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Timika costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Timika is 49% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$13.30 MX$231

-88.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.34 Rp 212.0K

$53.8 MX$932

-77.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.40 Rp 58.4K

$9.42 MX$163

-63.91%

Cappuccino

$1.74 Rp 29.9K

$3.59 MX$62.3

-51.53%

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

$0.55 Rp 9,380

$1.62 MX$28.13

-66.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 Rp 4,453

$1.12 MX$19.49

-76.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 41.6K

$3.25 MX$56.3

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 Rp 60.8K

$4.65 MX$80.6

-23.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 Rp 20.9K

$1.64 MX$28.37

-25.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 19.5K

$2.65 MX$46.00

-56.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 14.9K

$1.96 MX$33.99

-55.61%

Eggs

$1.55 Rp 26.6K

$2.54 MX$44.08

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 Rp 138.3K

$9.97 MX$173

-19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 Rp 55.6K

$8.39 MX$145

-61.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 Rp 132.6K

$11.83 MX$205

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 40.8K

$2.86 MX$49.62

-17.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 25.5K

$1.73 MX$30.05

-14.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 Rp 30.7K

$1.99 MX$34.50

-10.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 26.8K

$2.05 MX$35.51

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$2.06 MX$35.64

-33.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 Rp 32.1K

$2.28 MX$39.54

-17.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.95 Rp 16.3K

$1.45 MX$25.05

-34.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 Rp 7,684

$1.09 MX$18.83

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.52 Rp 43.3K

$4.27 MX$73.9

-40.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.41 Rp 436.7K

$14.67 MX$254

73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 Rp 35.8K

$1.76 MX$30.58

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 Rp 55.2K

$3.57 MX$61.8

-10.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 Rp 5,107

$0.38 MX$6.67

-21.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.12 Rp 173.9K

$18.73 MX$325

-45.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.57 Rp 9,868

$1.39 MX$24.09

-58.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 Rp 5,954

$0.30 MX$5.26

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$5.41 MX$93.8

-47.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 MX$23.22

-38.06%

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

$24.5K Rp 420.4M

$18.9K MX$326.7K

29.75%

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

$27.2K Rp 467.3M

$23.2K MX$402.0K

17.20%

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

$70.7 Rp 1.2M

$40.30 MX$698

75.43%

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

$4.18 Rp 71.8K

$27.15 MX$471

-84.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.68 Rp 389.8K

$29.46 MX$510

-23.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.25 Rp 399.6K

$52.7 MX$914

-55.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.27 Rp 107.8K

$26.17 MX$454

-76.04%

Cinema Ticket

$3.01 Rp 51.7K

$6.18 MX$107

-51.29%

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

$92.9 Rp 1.6M

$441 MX$7,637

-78.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,436 Rp 127.8M

$10.7K MX$185.4K

-30.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.48 Rp 712.9K

$57.2 MX$992

-27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.97 Rp 532.2K

$45.04 MX$781

-31.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 Rp 1.2M

$103 MX$1,793

-34.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 Rp 1.3M

$109 MX$1,884

-31.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 Rp 4.4M

$1,000 MX$17.3K

-74.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 Rp 2.7M

$632 MX$11.0K

-75.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 Rp 10.1M

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-72.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$334 Rp 5.7M

$1,253 MX$21.7K

-73.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,053 Rp 18.1M

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-71.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$733 Rp 12.6M

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-69.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.15

11.34

-19.31%

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

Last update for Timika: April 21, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $254 in Timika and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $12 in Timika vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $286 per month, with Timika 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

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

Timika and Mexico City differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($679 vs $1,466 including rent). Timika is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,019 in Timika 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $254 in Timika versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Timika runs roughly 85% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $92.9 in Timika versus $441 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $679 in Timika versus $1,466 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Timika but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Timika 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 Timika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.