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 $1,481 per month in Mexico City vs $1,056 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,352 per month in Mexico City vs $1,678 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,222 per month in Mexico City vs $2,301 in Almaty, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 40% more than Almaty, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Almaty is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$230

$7.98 ₸3,791

64.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$936

$38.49 ₸18.3K

39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$6.74 ₸3,201

41.69%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$65.0

$2.41 ₸1,144

54.36%

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

$1.57 MX$27.39

$0.97 ₸461

61.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.20

$0.56 ₸266

107.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.34 ₸635

137.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$81.0

$2.96 ₸1,407

56.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.80

$1.31 ₸622

30.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.73

$0.60 ₸284

336.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.01

$1.54 ₸730

22.73%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.36

$1.73 ₸823

50.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$9.28 ₸4,406

6.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$144

$4.66 ₸2,212

76.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$206

$7.82 ₸3,713

50.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.4

$1.34 ₸637

123.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.45

$1.87 ₸890

-3.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.24

$1.88 ₸894

10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.37

$2.08 ₸988

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.21

$0.59 ₸280

250.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.00

$0.40 ₸190

442.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.52

$1.23 ₸586

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.71 ₸336

50.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$72.0

$1.97 ₸935

109.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$10.79 ₸5,124

61.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.28

$0.89 ₸425

88.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.8

$2.14 ₸1,014

70.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.24 ₸114

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$327

$17.74 ₸8,425

5.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.23

$1.15 ₸545

15.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.30

$0.70 ₸333

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.3

$4.70 ₸2,234

17.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.48 ₸227

172.92%

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

$19.2K MX$334.9K

$23.2K ₸11.0M

-17.42%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$27.3K ₸13.0M

-13.04%

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

$41.14 MX$719

$62.3 ₸29.6K

-33.94%

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

$27.74 MX$485

$8.94 ₸4,246

210.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$527

$13.69 ₸6,500

120.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$939

$48.48 ₸23.0K

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$454

$21.89 ₸10.4K

18.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$5.10 ₸2,422

27.25%

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

$437 MX$7,630

$267 ₸127.0K

63.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.7K

$12.9K ₸6.1M

-18.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,019

$84.1 ₸39.9K

-30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$801

$44.36 ₸21.1K

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,773

$99.2 ₸47.1K

2.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,862

$118 ₸55.9K

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.6K

$663 ₸314.8K

51.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.1K

$421 ₸199.8K

50.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$1,160 ₸551.0K

85.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.8K

$763 ₸362.2K

63.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.4K

$2,421 ₸1.1M

59.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.4K

$1,409 ₸669.2K

47.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$810 ₸384.8K

32.31%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Almaty: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,005 in Mexico City versus $663 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 32% 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 $38.00 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $189 – 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 40%, 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 $2,222 per month in Mexico City and $1,583 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 $38.00 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 $1,481 in Mexico City and $1,056 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 $1,056, than in Mexico City at $1,481. 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.