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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $497 in Kabul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $680 in Kabul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $864 in Kabul.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 238% more expensive than in Kabul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Kabul is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.81 ؋181

332.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$7.70 ؋495

600.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$4.45 ؋286

149.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋144

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ؋119

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$1.11 ؋71.2

269.37%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.48 ؋30.89

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.13 ؋8.39

969.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.88 ؋56.5

110.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.23 ؋14.76

1278.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.78 ؋115

16.29%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.58 ؋102

85.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$4.23 ؋272

197.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$3.99 ؋256

153.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$6.55 ؋421

145.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$0.73 ؋46.78

364.38%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.90 ؋57.9

131.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.95 ؋61.1

123.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.54 ؋34.50

346.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.62 ؋40.17

243.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.51 ؋32.83

294.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.28 ؋17.78

453.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.36 ؋23.09

277.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.86 ؋119

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ؋47.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 ؋67.2

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.43 ؋156

137.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.13 ؋8.43

184.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$20.53 ؋1,320

3.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.11 ؋136

-2.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.48 ؋30.93

20.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$2.66 ؋171

128.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.99 ؋63.4

56.57%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$8,551 ؋549.8K

167.51%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$33.8K ؋2.2M

-19.49%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$42.79 ؋2,751

57.54%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$12.63 ؋812

142.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$97.8 ؋6,289

-61.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$11.19 ؋720

449.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$3.97 ؋255

583.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$2.32 ؋149

206.47%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$19.89 ؋1,279

2193.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$1,043 ؋67.0K

1213.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$10.49 ؋675

607.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$16.10 ؋1,035

254.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$57.5 ؋3,695

100.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$25.12 ؋1,615

383.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$124 ؋7,996

822.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$108 ؋6,957

555.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$216 ؋13.9K

1093.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$116 ؋7,462

1015.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$688 ؋44.2K

482.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$355 ؋22.8K

499.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$333 ؋21.4K

224.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kabul: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $124 in Kabul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 225% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $8.00 in Kabul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $101 per month, with Kabul 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 Kabul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Kabul differ by about 238% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $497 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 225% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $124 in Kabul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Mexico City versus $19.89 in Kabul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $497 in Kabul versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul 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.

Expats usually find Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 238% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.