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 $1,656 per month in Mexico City vs $762 in Aktau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,619 per month in Mexico City vs $1,258 in Aktau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,581 per month in Mexico City vs $1,754 in Aktau, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 117% more than Aktau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Aktau is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$10.58 ₸4,979

12.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 MX$903

$41.60 ₸19.6K

25.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.58 MX$183

$9.46 ₸4,452

11.84%

Cappuccino

$3.90 MX$67.2

$2.48 ₸1,168

57.26%

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

$1.69 MX$29.10

$0.70 ₸330

141.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 MX$22.84

$0.43 ₸204

206.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$1.25 ₸589

163.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.63 MX$97.2

$1.46 ₸686

285.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 MX$30.73

$1.35 ₸635

31.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 MX$53.7

$0.44 ₸207

606.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.52

$1.81 ₸851

13.81%

Eggs

$3.02 MX$52.1

$1.66 ₸780

81.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.73 MX$220

$9.39 ₸4,415

35.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.86 MX$170

$3.99 ₸1,875

147.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 MX$269

$8.39 ₸3,949

85.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.41 MX$58.8

$1.46 ₸686

133.56%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.71

$2.21 ₸1,042

-9.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.03

$2.28 ₸1,072

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.38 MX$40.99

$2.68 ₸1,259

-11.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 MX$36.43

$0.63 ₸295

234.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.10

$0.55 ₸257

238.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.42 ₸667

9.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.97

$0.89 ₸418

49.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.35 MX$92.2

$2.56 ₸1,205

108.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.21 MX$297

$8.94 ₸4,206

92.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.84

$0.70 ₸327

188.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.73 MX$81.6

$0.86 ₸406

450.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.34

$0.13 ₸60.2

184.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.51 MX$354

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 MX$34.39

$1.06 ₸499

87.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 MX$9.56

$0.65 ₸306

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 MX$97.4

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 MX$26.43

$0.55 ₸259

178.18%

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

$22.7K MX$392.1K

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

$26.2K MX$452.2K

$28.8K ₸13.6M

-9.04%

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

$65.7 MX$1,133

$44.31 ₸20.8K

48.16%

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

$30.37 MX$524

$7.49 ₸3,525

305.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.54 MX$613

$10.47 ₸4,923

239.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.0 MX$983

$34.68 ₸16.3K

64.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.18 MX$452

Cinema Ticket

$6.75 MX$117

$2.97 ₸1,396

127.27%

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

$449 MX$7,744

$138 ₸65.1K

224.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$230.4K

$2,538 ₸1.2M

426.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 MX$1,267

$63.9 ₸30.1K

14.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.9 MX$930

$37.27 ₸17.5K

44.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,916

$69.0 ₸32.4K

61.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,105

$83.2 ₸39.2K

46.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 MX$18.8K

$308 ₸144.7K

254.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 MX$12.1K

$185 ₸87.2K

278.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 MX$42.6K

$508 ₸238.9K

386.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.3K

$363 ₸171.0K

256.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,904 MX$67.4K

$755 ₸355.0K

417.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,117 MX$36.5K

$615 ₸289.5K

243.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,081 MX$18.6K

$533 ₸250.9K

102.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

-18.93%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 1, 2026

Last update for Aktau: August 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,090 in Mexico City versus $308 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 103% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City versus $42.00 in Aktau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $339 vs $191 – 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 117% 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 $2,485 per month in Mexico City and $1,143 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 $52.0 in Mexico City and $42.00 in Aktau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 78% 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 $762, than in Mexico City at $1,656. 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 $762 versus $1,656 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.