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 $1,466 per month in Mexico City vs $1,051 in Almaty, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,325 per month in Mexico City vs $1,658 in Almaty, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,184 per month in Mexico City vs $2,264 in Almaty, rent included.

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

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Almaty is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$7.66 ₸3,548

73.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$38.33 ₸17.7K

40.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.92 ₸3,205

36.13%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$2.32 ₸1,074

54.74%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.90 ₸418

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.54 ₸250

107.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$1.39 ₸644

133.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

$2.97 ₸1,373

56.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.31 ₸604

25.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$0.54 ₸252

390.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$1.55 ₸718

26.45%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$1.70 ₸786

49.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$9.42 ₸4,362

5.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$4.47 ₸2,069

87.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$7.52 ₸3,480

57.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$1.34 ₸619

113.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.90 ₸881

-8.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$1.94 ₸898

2.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$2.09 ₸969

-1.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.61 ₸284

237.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$0.40 ₸184

470.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$1.29 ₸595

12.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.70 ₸323

55.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.98 ₸917

115.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

$8.56 ₸3,963

71.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

$0.84 ₸388

109.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

$2.14 ₸991

66.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$0.24 ₸112

58.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$18.06 ₸8,359

3.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$1.20 ₸553

15.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$0.66 ₸304

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$4.65 ₸2,154

16.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.48 ₸223

179.17%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$23.3K ₸10.8M

-18.95%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$27.4K ₸12.7M

-15.26%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$63.3 ₸29.3K

-36.36%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$8.79 ₸4,067

208.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$13.53 ₸6,264

117.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$47.24 ₸21.9K

11.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$21.59 ₸9,995

21.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$5.13 ₸2,375

20.47%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$262 ₸121.3K

68.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$13.0K ₸6.0M

-17.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$86.8 ₸40.2K

-34.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$44.68 ₸20.7K

0.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$97.0 ₸44.9K

6.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$120 ₸55.4K

-9.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$667 ₸308.8K

49.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$422 ₸195.5K

49.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$1,163 ₸538.6K

83.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$759 ₸351.4K

65.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$2,127 ₸984.8K

76.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$1,298 ₸600.7K

83.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

$799 ₸369.9K

35.08%

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Almaty: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $667 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 35% 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 in Mexico City versus $38 in Almaty. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $183 – 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 $2,199 per month in Mexico City and $1,576 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 $1,466 in Mexico City and $1,051 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 $1,051, than in Mexico City at $1,466. 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.