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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,447 per month in Mexico City vs $1,043 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,310 per month in Mexico City vs $1,668 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,174 per month in Mexico City vs $2,292 in Almaty, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 39% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 8% above the global median, while Almaty is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$7.86 ₸3,828

65.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$918

$39.65 ₸19.3K

32.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$165

$7.01 ₸3,417

34.52%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$62.3

$2.33 ₸1,137

53.22%

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

$1.61 MX$28.02

$0.99 ₸481

62.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.14

$0.57 ₸278

101.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$55.0

$1.39 ₸679

126.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$84.8

$2.90 ₸1,412

67.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.66

$1.33 ₸647

27.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.99

$0.56 ₸272

371.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$33.22

$1.48 ₸723

28.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.35

$1.72 ₸839

47.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$9.77 ₸4,759

3.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.72 ₸2,299

75.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$202

$7.47 ₸3,642

54.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.8

$1.35 ₸659

124.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.85

$1.88 ₸916

-9.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.76

$1.95 ₸951

5.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.95

$2.00 ₸974

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$36.03

$0.63 ₸305

226.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.87

$0.42 ₸206

416.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.49

$1.29 ₸626

8.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.58

$0.69 ₸337

62.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.9

$1.90 ₸924

125.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$269

$10.10 ₸4,923

52.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$29.23

$0.83 ₸405

101.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$64.3

$2.06 ₸1,003

79.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.66

$0.24 ₸118

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$333

$18.17 ₸8,855

4.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.10

$1.20 ₸584

15.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.82

$0.68 ₸329

-58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.5

$4.82 ₸2,348

12.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.35

$0.48 ₸232

166.67%

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

$19.0K MX$331.3K

$23.3K ₸11.4M

-18.54%

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

$23.5K MX$409.5K

$26.7K ₸13.0M

-11.98%

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

$41.02 MX$716

$62.3 ₸30.4K

-34.14%

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

$26.92 MX$470

$8.53 ₸4,155

215.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$518

$13.73 ₸6,692

116.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$913

$47.82 ₸23.3K

9.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$458

$21.14 ₸10.3K

24.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$108

$5.37 ₸2,615

15.08%

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

$427 MX$7,454

$264 ₸128.6K

61.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.7K

$12.9K ₸6.3M

-17.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$992

$84.6 ₸41.2K

-32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$782

$44.14 ₸21.5K

1.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,824

$98.0 ₸47.8K

6.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,849

$122 ₸59.4K

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.4K

$658 ₸320.6K

51.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.8K

$420 ₸204.6K

47.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$37.1K

$1,190 ₸580.1K

78.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.9K

$766 ₸373.1K

63.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.1K

$2,165 ₸1.1M

80.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.6K

$1,291 ₸629.1K

62.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.3K

$767 ₸373.7K

44.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

18.39

-38.34%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Almaty: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $995 in Mexico City versus $658 in Almaty. 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 44% 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 $40.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $187 – making Almaty 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 Almaty: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 39%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,171 per month in Mexico City and $1,565 in Almaty. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Almaty, 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 $40.00 in Almaty. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,447 in Mexico City and $1,043 in Almaty. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Almaty, where all-in costs run around $1,043, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Almaty it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Almaty – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Almaty. 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.