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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,367 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $2,121 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,876 in Almaty, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 23% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Almaty is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$13.05 ₸5,923

-6.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$913

$44.41 ₸20.2K

21.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.66 ₸3,930

28.06%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.4

$3.29 ₸1,496

24.62%

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

$1.68 MX$28.49

$1.34 ₸607

25.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.52

$0.82 ₸370

69.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.4

$2.35 ₸1,068

41.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.6

$3.90 ₸1,768

50.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.36

$1.72 ₸782

7.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.7

$0.81 ₸369

291.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.08

$2.05 ₸931

0.98%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.60

$2.42 ₸1,097

21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$213

$12.42 ₸5,640

1.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$6.78 ₸3,076

49.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$11.06 ₸5,020

45.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.4

$1.93 ₸875

75.65%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.21

$2.32 ₸1,053

-10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.92

$3.00 ₸1,364

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.89

$2.70 ₸1,226

-10.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.07

$0.77 ₸349

176.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$33.97

$0.58 ₸263

246.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.18

$1.68 ₸761

-7.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.12

$0.99 ₸450

37.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.7

$2.65 ₸1,202

117.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$11.04 ₸5,013

60.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.07

$1.23 ₸557

68.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.2

$2.34 ₸1,063

97.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.20

$0.25 ₸113

48.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$21.52 ₸9,769

-1.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.79

$1.30 ₸591

57.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.64 ₸290

-9.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$10.83 ₸4,916

-43.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.30

$0.70 ₸319

121.43%

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

$22.9K MX$387.5K

$22.3K ₸10.1M

2.64%

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

$27.2K MX$461.4K

$29.4K ₸13.3M

-7.30%

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

$67.4 MX$1,142

$91.2 ₸41.4K

-26.09%

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

$30.62 MX$519

$10.56 ₸4,794

189.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$631

$17.45 ₸7,922

113.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,041

$75.0 ₸34.0K

-18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$459

$30.33 ₸13.8K

-10.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$120

$6.59 ₸2,990

7.89%

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

$456 MX$7,728

$434 ₸197.2K

5.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.0K

$11.7K ₸5.3M

16.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,257

$88.4 ₸40.1K

-16.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$966

$47.17 ₸21.4K

20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,955

$142 ₸64.3K

-18.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,059

$132 ₸59.7K

-7.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.4K

$817 ₸370.7K

40.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$501 ₸227.5K

41.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,439 ₸653.3K

79.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$21.9K

$901 ₸409.1K

43.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$2,476 ₸1.1M

61.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,521 ₸690.3K

40.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.3K

$857 ₸389.2K

26.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

20.61

-45.17%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Almaty: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $817 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 26% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $44.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $252 – 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 23%, 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 $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,051 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $44.00 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 $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,367 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 $1,367, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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.