Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Kostanay

For one person, living is cheaper in Kostanay: $962 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

75

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
Learn more

Mexico City Living Index
46

Cost of Living Index in Kostanay
Learn more

Kostanay Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,548

/mo nomad

Kostanay

🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

$962

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

A single person spends $1,548 per month in Mexico City vs $962 in Kostanay, rent included.

Mexico City $1,548
Kostanay $962

A couple spends around $2,436 per month in Mexico City vs $1,452 in Kostanay, rent included.

Mexico City $2,436
Kostanay $1,452

A family of three spends $3,323 per month in Mexico City vs $1,943 in Kostanay, rent included.

Mexico City $3,323
Kostanay $1,943

Mexico City costs about 61% more than Kostanay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 14% above the global median, while Kostanay is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 MX$204

$5.60 ₸2,532

96.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.68 MX$900

$28.73 ₸13.0K

69.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$201

$7.05 ₸3,186

54.61%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$2.18 ₸988

68.81%

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

$1.63 MX$30.18

$1.12 ₸506

45.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 MX$23.07

$0.86 ₸389

45.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$60.1

$1.45 ₸656

124.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 MX$102

$2.61 ₸1,181

111.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$31.50

$1.22 ₸550

39.34%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$0.52 ₸235

480.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.53

$1.05 ₸474

82.86%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$50.5

$2.27 ₸1,026

20.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 MX$218

$10.21 ₸4,614

15.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 MX$176

$5.72 ₸2,585

66.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.41 MX$266

$8.33 ₸3,767

72.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$55.8

$1.61 ₸730

87.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.01

$2.37 ₸1,071

-20.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$36.70

$1.84 ₸831

8.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$40.38

$2.32 ₸1,047

-5.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$35.43

$0.58 ₸264

231.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$34.49

$0.68 ₸308

175.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$26.62

$1.21 ₸548

19.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.39

$0.88 ₸399

44.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.22 MX$96.4

$2.51 ₸1,135

107.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.17 MX$299

$8.47 ₸3,827

90.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 MX$35.03

$1.10 ₸495

72.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 MX$78.0

$2.37 ₸1,071

78.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.30

$0.31 ₸142

9.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.65 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.90

$0.95 ₸430

110.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.52 MX$9.67

$1.14 ₸516

-54.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 MX$98.7

$6.09 ₸2,755

-12.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.13

$0.58 ₸263

162.07%

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

$22.1K MX$408.0K

$30.3K ₸13.7M

-27.11%

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

$24.5K MX$452.9K

$30.5K ₸13.8M

-19.70%

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

$61.1 MX$1,129

$76.8 ₸34.7K

-20.50%

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

$28.58 MX$528

$10.97 ₸4,961

160.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.47 MX$637

$15.99 ₸7,229

115.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 MX$1,042

$48.26 ₸21.8K

16.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.88 MX$460

$20.11 ₸9,091

23.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.66 MX$123

$4.40 ₸1,989

51.36%

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

$427 MX$7,891

$209 ₸94.5K

104.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K MX$215.0K

$6,498 ₸2.9M

79.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 MX$1,253

$96.3 ₸43.5K

-29.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 MX$960

$53.8 ₸24.3K

-3.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 MX$1,959

$107 ₸48.6K

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 MX$2,080

$93.7 ₸42.3K

20.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,025 MX$18.9K

$402 ₸181.7K

154.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$654 MX$12.1K

$321 ₸144.9K

104.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,308 MX$42.7K

$598 ₸270.1K

286.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,242 MX$22.9K

$494 ₸223.4K

151.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,613 MX$66.8K

$1,218 ₸550.5K

196.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,936 MX$35.8K

$925 ₸418.0K

109.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$964 MX$17.8K

$657 ₸297.0K

46.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

18.5

-38.92%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Kostanay: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$654 42.3%

Kostanay

$321 33.4% 51% $334

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$318 20.6%

Kostanay

$202 21% 36.6% $116

Eating Out

Mexico City

$204 13.2%

Kostanay

$113 11.7% 44.8% $91

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$152 9.8%

Kostanay

$158 16.4% 3.8% $5.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$124 8%

Kostanay

$104 10.8% 16.4% $20

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Kostanay

$57 5.9% 18.1% $13

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.7%

Kostanay

$7.9 * 0.8% 69.1% $18

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,025 in Mexico City versus $402 in Kostanay. 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 47% 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 $49.00 in Mexico City versus $29.00 in Kostanay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $202 – making Kostanay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇰🇿 Kostanay

🕒 Local time

10:12 10:12 AM

22:12 10:12 PM

12 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

264,446

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Kazakhstani Tenge KZT ₸

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD

1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KZT, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Kazakhstani Tenge exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 452 KZT (1,000 KZT = 2.21 USD). 1 EUR = 508 KZT (1,000 KZT = 1.97 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mexico City Kostanay 11,770 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Kostanay

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 Kostanay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 61% more than Kostanay, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,322 per month in Mexico City and $1,443 in Kostanay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mexico City and $29.00 in Kostanay. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kostanay, where all-in costs run around $962, than in Mexico City at $1,548. In Kostanay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kostanay costs $962 versus $1,548 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kostanay. 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.