Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ankara

For one person, living is cheaper in Ankara: $1,393 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Ankara, Turkey
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Ankara
🇹🇷 Turkey
$1,393
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Ankara

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Ankara actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,393 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Ankara $1,393

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $2,079 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Ankara $2,079

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $2,765 in Ankara, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Ankara $2,765

Mexico City costs about 15% more than Ankara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mexico City and Ankara sit above the global median – Mexico City by 18%, Ankara by 2%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$9.90 ₺493
7.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$42.89 ₺2,137
12.73%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$9.31 ₺464
11.17%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$4.15 ₺207
-11.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$1.66 ₺82.6
0.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.76 ₺37.94
67.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$5.15 ₺257
-38.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$5.85 ₺292
-9.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$1.20 ₺59.9
43.33%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$0.99 ₺49.46
207.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$2.15 ₺107
-9.77%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.69 ₺134
7.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$10.22 ₺510
7.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$5.45 ₺272
69.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$20.32 ₺1,013
-25.54%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$1.91 ₺95.0
59.69%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$2.28 ₺113
-14.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$1.27 ₺63.2
59.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.64 ₺81.7
40.85%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$0.67 ₺33.28
204.48%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$0.57 ₺28.55
215.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$1.03 ₺51.3
43.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.64 ₺31.69
98.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$2.19 ₺109
142.01%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$12.46 ₺621
29.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
$2.24 ₺112
-11.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
$3.11 ₺155
36.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$0.82 ₺40.87
-62.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$11.86 ₺591
66.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$1.28 ₺63.8
43.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$0.81 ₺40.61
-34.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$6.46 ₺322
-17.96%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$1.40 ₺69.7
7.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$47.9K ₺2.4M
-54.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$40.3K ₺2.0M
-40.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$93.1 ₺4,639
-32.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$10.72 ₺534
155.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$17.87 ₺891
99.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$72.2 ₺3,597
-18.33%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$15.34 ₺765
54.11%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$8.04 ₺401
-20.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$1,032 ₺51.4K
-58.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$19.2K ₺955.7K
-40.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$53.4 ₺2,659
27.85%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$48.30 ₺2,407
10.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$104 ₺5,196
3.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$96.0 ₺4,786
22.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$765 ₺38.1K
45.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$569 ₺28.4K
24.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$1,127 ₺56.2K
129.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$893 ₺44.5K
57.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$1,678 ₺83.6K
116.44%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,158 ₺57.7K
84.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Ankara
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$1,053 ₺52.5K
-10.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
43.57
-73.95%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ankara: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Ankara
$569 19.9% $141
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Ankara
$254 20.5% $66
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Ankara
$204 2.7% $5.4
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Ankara
$136 12.8% $20
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Ankara
$122 3.5% $4.4
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Ankara
$88 23% $17
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Ankara
$21 19.5% $5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $765 in Ankara. 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 11% higher in Ankara, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48 in Mexico City versus $43 in Ankara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $254 – making Ankara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇹🇷 Ankara
🕒 Local time
17:47 5:47 PM
02:47 2:47 AM
9 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
5,864,049 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TRY, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Turkish Lira exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 49.83 TRY (100 TRY = 2.01 USD). 1 EUR = 55.48 TRY (100 TRY = 1.8 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Ankara 11,750 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Ankara

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ankara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Ankara?
Mexico City costs about 15% more than Ankara, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Mexico City and in Ankara?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $2,090 in Ankara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Mexico City or Ankara?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ankara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $765 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and in Ankara?
Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $1,032 in Ankara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Mexico City or in Ankara?
Groceries cost about 26% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mexico City or in Ankara?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,393 in Ankara. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Ankara?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ankara costs $1,393 versus $1,608 in Mexico City. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Ankara is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 13% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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