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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $3,146 in Ashgabat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $4,862 in Ashgabat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $6,579 in Ashgabat.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 54% less than in Ashgabat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 8% above, Ashgabat 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$35.27 TMT 118

-63.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$86.5 TMT 291

-39.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$14.14 TMT 47.53

-33.31%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$7.18 TMT 24.11

-50.28%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$3.22 TMT 10.82

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.89 TMT 2.99

29.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$5.26 TMT 17.68

-40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$14.30 TMT 48.06

-66.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$4.81 TMT 16.17

-64.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$2.41 TMT 8.11

9.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$7.28 TMT 24.45

-73.90%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$6.01 TMT 20.19

-57.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$39.33 TMT 132

-74.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$18.50 TMT 62.2

-55.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$18.86 TMT 63.4

-38.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$5.49 TMT 18.46

-44.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$9.09 TMT 30.54

-81.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$7.79 TMT 26.18

-73.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$3.63 TMT 12.19

-43.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$2.33 TMT 7.83

-11.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.82 TMT 6.13

19.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$2.05 TMT 6.90

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$1.12 TMT 3.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$25.97 TMT 87.3

-83.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$41.39 TMT 139

-62.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$4.65 TMT 15.62

-64.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.89 TMT 9.71

27.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.14 TMT 0.45

171.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$8.66 TMT 29.09

120.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.82 TMT 9.49

-51.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.81 TMT 2.73

-65.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$8.67 TMT 29.14

-37.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.41 TMT 1.38

212.20%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$43.3K TMT 145.5K

-56.17%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$56.3K TMT 189.3K

-58.36%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$569 TMT 1,913

-92.80%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$58.1 TMT 195

-53.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$101 TMT 340

-70.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$198 TMT 667

-73.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$44.60 TMT 150

-41.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$14.56 TMT 48.91

-57.55%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$22.76 TMT 76.5

1776.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$25.7K TMT 86.2K

-58.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$66.4 TMT 223

-14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$121 TMT 407

-62.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$305 TMT 1,025

-65.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$186 TMT 626

-43.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$1,143 TMT 3,839

-12.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$747 TMT 2,509

-16.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$1,792 TMT 6,021

18.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$1,583 TMT 5,317

-20.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,528 TMT 11.9K

10.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$2,850 TMT 9,575

-26.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$761 TMT 2,557

45.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

9.5

19.37%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ashgabat: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $1,143 in Ashgabat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $87.0 in Ashgabat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $668 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

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 Ashgabat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ashgabat differ by about 117% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $3,146 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $1,143 in Ashgabat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $22.76 in Ashgabat. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 132% higher in Ashgabat. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,447 in Mexico City versus $3,146 in Ashgabat, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Ashgabat. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ashgabat are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Ashgabat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.