Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bishkek and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Bishkek: $989 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

48

Cost of Living Index in Bishkek
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Bishkek Living Index
75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Bishkek

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan

$989

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bishkek and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bishkek and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $989 in Bishkek versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

Bishkek $989
Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,516 in Bishkek versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

Bishkek $1,516
Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,042 in Bishkek versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

Bishkek $2,042
Mexico City $3,323

Living in Bishkek costs roughly 36% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bishkek is 27% below, Mexico City is 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 KGS 613

$11.02 MX$204

-36.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.94 KGS 2,531

$48.68 MX$900

-40.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 KGS 525

$10.90 MX$201

-44.95%

Cappuccino

$2.49 KGS 218

$3.68 MX$68.1

-32.34%

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

$0.71 KGS 62.5

$1.63 MX$30.18

-56.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KGS 32.76

$1.25 MX$23.07

-70.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.33 KGS 116

$3.25 MX$60.1

-59.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 KGS 172

$5.53 MX$102

-64.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 KGS 86.2

$1.70 MX$31.50

-41.76%

White Bread (500g)

$0.39 KGS 33.95

$3.02 MX$55.8

-87.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 KGS 149

$1.92 MX$35.53

-10.94%

Eggs

$1.75 KGS 153

$2.73 MX$50.5

-35.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 KGS 684

$11.77 MX$218

-33.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 KGS 410

$9.53 MX$176

-50.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.86 KGS 775

$14.41 MX$266

-38.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 KGS 120

$3.02 MX$55.8

-54.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 KGS 160

$1.89 MX$35.01

-3.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 KGS 176

$1.99 MX$36.70

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 KGS 137

$2.19 MX$40.38

-28.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.62 KGS 54.0

$1.92 MX$35.43

-67.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.51 KGS 44.85

$1.87 MX$34.49

-72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 KGS 61.5

$1.44 MX$26.62

-51.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 KGS 53.9

$1.27 MX$23.39

-51.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 KGS 177

$5.22 MX$96.4

-61.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.13 KGS 799

$16.17 MX$299

-43.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 KGS 120

$1.90 MX$35.03

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 KGS 171

$4.22 MX$78.0

-53.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 KGS 21.02

$0.34 MX$6.30

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.77 KGS 1,030

$19.65 MX$363

-40.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.89 KGS 77.9

$2.00 MX$36.90

-55.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 KGS 41.16

$0.52 MX$9.67

-9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.58 KGS 488

$5.34 MX$98.7

4.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 KGS 83.8

$1.52 MX$28.13

-36.84%

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

$29.7K KGS 2.6M

$22.1K MX$408.0K

34.60%

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

$33.4K KGS 2.9M

$24.5K MX$452.9K

36.25%

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

$50.5 KGS 4,417

$61.1 MX$1,129

-17.32%

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

$5.77 KGS 505

$28.58 MX$528

-79.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.99 KGS 1,049

$34.47 MX$637

-65.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 KGS 4,839

$56.4 MX$1,042

-1.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 KGS 1,271

$24.88 MX$460

-41.60%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 KGS 508

$6.66 MX$123

-12.76%

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

$218 KGS 19.1K

$427 MX$7,891

-49.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,840 KGS 685.9K

$11.6K MX$215.0K

-32.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 KGS 4,917

$67.8 MX$1,253

-17.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.43 KGS 3,799

$52.0 MX$960

-16.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.5 KGS 7,916

$106 MX$1,959

-14.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 KGS 7,855

$113 MX$2,080

-20.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$595 KGS 52.0K

$1,025 MX$18.9K

-41.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 KGS 36.4K

$654 MX$12.1K

-36.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 KGS 88.9K

$2,308 MX$42.7K

-55.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 KGS 62.8K

$1,242 MX$22.9K

-42.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,748 KGS 152.9K

$3,613 MX$66.8K

-51.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,225 KGS 107.1K

$1,936 MX$35.8K

-36.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$497 KGS 43.5K

$964 MX$17.8K

-48.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.1

11.3

77.88%

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

Last update for Bishkek: October 18, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bishkek

$416 42.1%

Mexico City

$654 42.3% 57.2% $238

Groceries & Markets

Bishkek

$177 17.9%

Mexico City

$318 20.6% 79.8% $141

Clothing & Footwear

Bishkek

$126 12.7%

Mexico City

$152 9.8% 20.9% $26

Eating Out

Bishkek

$119 12%

Mexico City

$204 13.2% 71.5% $85

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bishkek

$68 6.9%

Mexico City

$124 8% 81.9% $56

Sport & Entertainment

Bishkek

$67 6.8%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 4.1% $2.8

Getting Around

Bishkek

$16 1.6%

Mexico City

$26 1.7% 60.5% $9.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $595 in Bishkek and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 94% 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: $29.00 in Bishkek vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $318 per month, with Bishkek cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇬 Bishkek

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

14:50 2:50 PM

02:50 2:50 AM

12 h behind Bishkek

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,012,500 Capital

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Kyrgyzstani Som KGS сом

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

100 KGS = 1.14 USD

100 KGS = 1.02 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KGS – Kyrgyzstani Som Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstani Som (сом)

Kyrgyzstani Som exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 87.48 KGS (100 KGS = 1.14 USD). 1 EUR = 98.35 KGS (100 KGS = 1.02 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to KGS in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bishkek Mexico City 13,060 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Bishkek
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 94% 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: $595 in Bishkek versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $218 in Bishkek versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $989 in Bishkek versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Bishkek 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.

Expats usually find Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.