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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $702 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,160 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,619 in Aktau, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 111% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Aktau is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$9.63 ₸4,455

34.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$38.39 ₸17.7K

38.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$8.84 ₸4,085

9.95%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.27 ₸1,048

65.20%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.56 ₸257

180.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.43 ₸200

162.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.19 ₸551

167.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$1.38 ₸639

237.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.20 ₸557

35.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.39 ₸179

594.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.69 ₸782

11.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.37 ₸631

83.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$8.90 ₸4,117

13.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.89 ₸1,800

113.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$7.86 ₸3,634

51.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.29 ₸597

121.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.98 ₸916

-11.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$2.14 ₸991

-2.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$2.52 ₸1,166

-21.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.58 ₸268

272.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.51 ₸236

327.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.35 ₸626

2.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.81 ₸376

38.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.40 ₸1,108

75.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$9.04 ₸4,179

57.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$0.63 ₸290

179.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$0.76 ₸352

384.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.14 ₸66.8

178.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.03 ₸475

34.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.59 ₸271

-49.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$4.77 ₸2,206

13.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.47 ₸215

187.23%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.5K ₸9.5M

-7.69%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$24.5K ₸11.3M

-5.50%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$39.58 ₸18.3K

3.13%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$7.58 ₸3,505

262.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$9.75 ₸4,507

211.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$31.97 ₸14.8K

67.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$2.69 ₸1,242

133.09%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$128 ₸59.1K

241.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$2,304 ₸1.1M

354.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$58.4 ₸27.0K

-2.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$34.63 ₸16.0K

29.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$64.8 ₸30.0K

58.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$79.7 ₸36.8K

35.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$251 ₸116.3K

297.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$179 ₸82.7K

246.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$446 ₸206.2K

379.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$373 ₸172.2K

231.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$779 ₸360.2K

396.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$617 ₸285.3K

277.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$548 ₸253.2K

94.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

41.75%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Aktau: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $251 in Aktau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 95% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City versus $38.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $178 – making Aktau the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Mexico City costs about 111% more than Aktau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,052 in Aktau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Aktau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $38.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Aktau, where all-in costs run around $702, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Aktau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Aktau costs $702 versus $1,484 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Aktau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.