Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Astana

For one person, living is cheaper in Astana: $1,133 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Astana, Kazakhstan
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Astana
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
$1,133
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Astana actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,133 in Astana, rent included.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Astana $1,133

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,810 in Astana, rent included.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Astana $1,810

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $2,486 in Astana, rent included.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Astana $2,486

Mexico City costs about 42% more than Astana, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 18% above the global median, while Astana is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$11.06 ₸5,039
-3.98%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$38.01 ₸17.3K
27.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$7.89 ₸3,596
31.18%
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.7
$2.65 ₸1,205
39.25%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.05
$1.08 ₸490
54.63%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.58
$0.62 ₸282
104.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
$1.34 ₸611
138.06%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
$2.25 ₸1,024
136.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.13
$1.26 ₸573
36.51%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.6
$0.60 ₸275
406.67%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.17
$1.55 ₸708
25.16%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.18 ₸992
32.57%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$204
$11.98 ₸5,459
-8.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$5.79 ₸2,638
59.76%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$10.57 ₸4,815
43.14%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$1.82 ₸830
67.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.17
$2.31 ₸1,052
-16.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.73
$2.29 ₸1,043
-11.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.12
$2.19 ₸996
5.48%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.91
$0.66 ₸299
209.09%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.53
$0.46 ₸210
291.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.56
$1.53 ₸695
-3.27%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.62
$0.90 ₸412
41.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.8
$2.37 ₸1,079
123.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
$10.93 ₸4,978
47.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.95
$1.30 ₸590
52.31%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.2
$2.35 ₸1,071
80.85%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.68
$0.25 ₸114
24.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$16.60 ₸7,560
18.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.23
$2.27 ₸1,032
-18.94%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$1.13 ₸515
-53.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$6.62 ₸3,016
-19.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.14
$0.69 ₸312
118.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.3K
$28.0K ₸12.8M
-22.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$446.9K
$31.7K ₸14.4M
-24.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,173
$68.4 ₸31.2K
-7.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$510
$10.08 ₸4,592
171.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$664
$18.13 ₸8,258
96.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,098
$58.7 ₸26.7K
0.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
$20.67 ₸9,414
14.37%
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$6.27 ₸2,856
2.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,041
$487 ₸221.9K
-11.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.8K
$11.7K ₸5.3M
-2.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,271
$64.6 ₸29.4K
5.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$46.35 ₸21.1K
14.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,008
$120 ₸54.5K
-9.84%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,185
$126 ₸57.5K
-7.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.7K
$564 ₸256.9K
97.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$391 ₸178.3K
81.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$1,151 ₸524.1K
124.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$769 ₸350.1K
82.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.6K
$1,560 ₸710.5K
132.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,120 ₸510.2K
90.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Astana
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
$867 ₸394.7K
9.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
14.83
-23.47%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Astana: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Astana
$391 44.9% $319
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Astana
$226 29.2% $93
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Astana
$162 18.5% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Astana
$161 3% $4.6
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Astana
$97 23.3% $29
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Astana
$71 0.8% $0.5
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Astana
$26 0.2% $0.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $564 in Astana. 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 9% 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $38 in Astana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $226 – making Astana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇰🇿 Astana
🕒 Local time
01:11 1:11 AM
12:11 12:11 PM
11 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
814,400 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.74 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 456 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.2 USD). 1 EUR = 507 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Astana 12,120 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Astana

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 Astana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Mexico City and in Astana compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City, $1,133 in Astana – Astana comes out roughly 30% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Astana?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $1,700 in Astana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Mexico City and Astana?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Astana, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $564 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Astana?
Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Mexico City and $487 in Astana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 41% more in Mexico City, though the gap depends on what you buy.
How far does $2,000 go in Mexico City compared to Astana?
$2,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,133 in Astana, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Where should digital nomads live: Mexico City or Astana?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Astana costs $1,133 versus $1,608 in Mexico City. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How do I decide between Mexico City and Astana?
If budget matters most, go with Astana. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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