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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $750 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,184 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,617 in Karaganda, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 94% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Karaganda is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.45 ₸3,969

54.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$29.19 ₸13.7K

84.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.97 ₸2,334

94.77%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.85 ₸871

102.16%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.65 ₸304

149.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.46 ₸217

152.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$1.01 ₸474

219.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$2.96 ₸1,391

60.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.02 ₸477

61.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.46 ₸217

497.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.24 ₸581

50.81%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.72 ₸808

45.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$9.63 ₸4,526

5.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.26 ₸2,004

93.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$7.18 ₸3,375

64.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.30 ₸613

131.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.43 ₸672

26.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.97 ₸927

1.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.93 ₸905

3.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.59 ₸278

252.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.38 ₸177

497.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.01 ₸475

44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.75 ₸352

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.74 ₸817

150.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$8.02 ₸3,768

111.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$1.00 ₸469

73.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$1.69 ₸795

111.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.19 ₸88.6

105.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$11.90 ₸5,592

57.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.72 ₸809

-22.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.43 ₸201

-34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$4.42 ₸2,079

18.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.48 ₸226

179.17%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$19.2K ₸9.0M

0.88%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$25.4K ₸11.9M

-6.11%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$54.0 ₸25.4K

-24.61%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$8.42 ₸3,956

219.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$13.22 ₸6,212

130.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$31.87 ₸15.0K

65.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$11.87 ₸5,577

124.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.56 ₸2,143

42.76%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$242 ₸113.8K

76.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,868 ₸2.3M

115.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$55.5 ₸26.1K

3.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$35.07 ₸16.5K

29.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$89.1 ₸41.9K

16.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$86.0 ₸40.4K

25.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$331 ₸155.7K

202.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$210 ₸98.6K

196.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$573 ₸269.2K

268.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$398 ₸187.2K

205.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$996 ₸468.3K

289.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$684 ₸321.4K

197.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$533 ₸250.6K

94.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.12

-29.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $331 in Karaganda. 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 95% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $171 – making Karaganda 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 Karaganda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $750 in Karaganda – roughly 94% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,125 in Karaganda. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Karaganda, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $242 in Karaganda. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Karaganda, where all-in costs run around $750, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Karaganda it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $750 in Karaganda to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Karaganda. 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.