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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $752 in Karaganda, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,187 in Karaganda, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,623 in Karaganda, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 95% more than Karaganda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Karaganda is 44% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$8.53 ₸4,155

54.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$29.67 ₸14.5K

81.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.97 ₸2,422

89.54%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.85 ₸902

91.89%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.70 ₸341

131.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.47 ₸227

136.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$0.95 ₸465

228.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$3.01 ₸1,464

53.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.94 ₸460

80.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.44 ₸214

518.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.30 ₸634

46.92%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.73 ₸840

46.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$9.48 ₸4,617

5.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.24 ₸2,067

90.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.25 ₸3,533

60.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.32 ₸642

125.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.45 ₸707

24.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.89 ₸923

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.98 ₸965

2.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.56 ₸272

278.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.41 ₸199

453.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.99 ₸483

41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.76 ₸370

48.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.79 ₸873

138.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$7.87 ₸3,834

97.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.99 ₸484

77.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.65 ₸803

118.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.22 ₸107

72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$11.56 ₸5,633

65.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.78 ₸867

-22.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.45 ₸220

-37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.38 ₸2,135

24.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.45 ₸218

188.89%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$19.0K ₸9.3M

-1.69%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$25.1K ₸12.2M

-7.86%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$53.9 ₸26.3K

-24.19%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$8.04 ₸3,918

233.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$13.00 ₸6,334

130.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$32.29 ₸15.7K

61.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$11.76 ₸5,730

128.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.47 ₸2,178

40.94%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$240 ₸116.7K

81.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,875 ₸2.4M

113.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$55.6 ₸27.1K

1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$35.64 ₸17.4K

24.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$86.6 ₸42.2K

18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$83.9 ₸40.9K

25.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$333 ₸162.0K

207.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$210 ₸102.3K

200.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$569 ₸277.3K

275.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$400 ₸194.6K

211.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$977 ₸475.7K

299.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$653 ₸317.9K

216.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$523 ₸254.6K

113.31%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Karaganda: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $333 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 113% 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 $30.00 in Karaganda. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $170 – 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $752 in Karaganda – roughly 95% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,127 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 66% less in Karaganda. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $240 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 $752, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $752 in Karaganda to $1,467 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.