Kuala Lumpur vs Mexico City: cost of living for digital nomads

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Mexico City, Mexico, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.

The short version

  • Kuala Lumpur is about 30% cheaper than Mexico City for a month of nomad living ($1,300 vs $1,850).
  • Rent is the biggest gap: $550 in Kuala Lumpur against $950 in Mexico City.
  • Kuala Lumpur scores higher on safety (7/10 vs 6/10).
  • Kuala Lumpur is tropical; Mexico City is temperate.

Kuala Lumpur wins 5 of the measured lines; Mexico City wins 2.

LineKuala LumpurMexico City
Monthly total (USD)$1,300$1,850
Rent$550$950
Food$350$450
Transport$60$50
Coworking$120$140
Safety (out of 10)7/106/10
Internet (Mbps)100100
Climatetropicaltemperate
City sizemetrometro
Settinginlandinland
Nomad score (out of 10)8/1010/10

Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Mexico City

Mexico City, Mexico.

Compare Kuala Lumpur with

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Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.