😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,218 in Ashgabat versus $1,484 in Mexico City.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,933 in Ashgabat versus $2,381 in Mexico City.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,648 in Ashgabat versus $3,278 in Mexico City.
😐Living in Ashgabat is roughly 117% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ashgabat140% above, Mexico City11% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$35.11TMT 123
$12.98MX$227
170.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.5TMT 296
$53.1MX$929
59.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.26TMT 49.93
$9.72MX$170
46.71%
Cappuccino
$7.09TMT 24.82
$3.75MX$65.6
89.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33TMT 11.64
$1.57MX$27.46
112.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88TMT 3.09
$1.13MX$19.76
-22.12%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.29TMT 18.52
$3.18MX$55.7
66.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$14.51TMT 50.8
$4.66MX$81.6
211.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$4.79TMT 16.75
$1.62MX$28.37
195.68%
White Bread(500g)
$2.42TMT 8.48
$2.71MX$47.36
-10.70%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$7.44TMT 26.03
$1.88MX$32.89
295.74%
Eggs
$6.19TMT 21.68
$2.51MX$43.90
146.61%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$40.14TMT 141
$10.08MX$176
298.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$18.59TMT 65.1
$8.29MX$145
124.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.74TMT 65.6
$11.94MX$209
56.95%
Apples(1kg)
$5.34TMT 18.69
$2.86MX$50.1
86.71%
Banana(1kg)
$8.86TMT 31.01
$1.75MX$30.62
406.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.48TMT 26.18
$2.08MX$36.48
259.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.63TMT 12.69
$1.97MX$34.46
84.26%
Potato(1kg)
$2.30TMT 8.05
$2.16MX$37.79
6.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.80TMT 6.30
$2.18MX$38.16
-17.43%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.99TMT 6.96
$1.39MX$24.34
43.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.09TMT 3.81
$1.12MX$19.69
-2.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$25.64TMT 89.7
$4.20MX$73.5
510.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$41.19TMT 144
$14.25MX$249
189.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.74TMT 16.58
$1.76MX$30.85
169.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.94TMT 10.28
$3.68MX$64.5
-20.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.15TMT 0.53
$0.39MX$6.74
-61.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.42TMT 29.47
$18.66MX$327
-54.88%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.91TMT 10.20
$1.39MX$24.26
109.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.82TMT 2.88
$0.30MX$5.32
173.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.62TMT 30.18
$5.42MX$94.9
59.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.42TMT 1.47
$1.35MX$23.63
-68.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$43.4KTMT 151.8K
$18.9KMX$330.5K
129.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$56.6KTMT 198.2K
$23.2KMX$405.2K
144.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$574TMT 2,007
$40.82MX$714
1305.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$57.2TMT 200
$27.50MX$481
108.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$102TMT 355
$30.38MX$532
234.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$197TMT 689
$53.4MX$935
268.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$43.92TMT 154
$26.30MX$460
67.00%
Cinema Ticket
$14.21TMT 49.72
$6.27MX$110
126.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$22.41TMT 78.4
$436MX$7,632
-94.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.7KTMT 90.0K
$10.5KMX$183.2K
145.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.3TMT 228
$56.8MX$993
14.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$121TMT 422
$44.79MX$784
169.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$295TMT 1,033
$103MX$1,799
187.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$184TMT 644
$108MX$1,888
70.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,132TMT 3,963
$1,000MX$17.5K
13.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$743TMT 2,599
$620MX$10.9K
19.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,760TMT 6,159
$2,137MX$37.4K
-17.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,616TMT 5,657
$1,235MX$21.6K
30.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,496TMT 12.2K
$3,865MX$67.6K
-9.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,865TMT 10.0K
$2,332MX$40.8K
22.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ashgabat
Mexico City
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$751TMT 2,629
$1,067MX$18.7K
-29.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.5
11.34
-16.23%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Ashgabat: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,132 in Ashgabat and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Mexico City pays 42% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $84.0 in Ashgabat vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $668 vs $286 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Ashgabat vs Mexico City: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Ashgabat and Mexico City?
Ashgabat and Mexico City differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($3,218 vs $1,484 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Mexico City earns 42% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ashgabat and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,132 in Ashgabat versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ashgabat and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $22.41 in Ashgabat versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 134% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,484 in Mexico City versus $3,218 in Ashgabat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ashgabat and Mexico City?
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.
Is Ashgabat or Mexico City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ashgabat and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ashgabat or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ashgabat vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado