Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Mazar-i-Sharif

For one person, living is cheaper in Mazar-i-Sharif: $292 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Mazar-i-Sharif
🇦🇫 Afghanistan
$292
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Mazar-i-Sharif

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 Mazar-i-Sharif actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,548 in Mexico City versus $292 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

  • Mexico City $1,548
  • Mazar-i-Sharif $292

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,436 in Mexico City versus $461 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

  • Mexico City $2,436
  • Mazar-i-Sharif $461

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,323 in Mexico City versus $630 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

  • Mexico City $3,323
  • Mazar-i-Sharif $630

Living in Mexico City is roughly 429% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 14% above, Mazar-i-Sharif is 78% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.02 MX$204
$2.38 ؋154
363.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.68 MX$900
$15.47 ؋1,003
214.67%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.90 MX$201
$4.01 ؋260
171.82%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$7.54 ؋489
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.50 ؋486
-
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.1
$1.23 ؋79.8
199.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.63 MX$30.18
$0.57 ؋36.96
185.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 MX$23.07
$0.30 ؋19.28
316.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.25 MX$60.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.53 MX$102
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.70 MX$31.50
$0.65 ؋42.20
161.54%
White Bread (500g)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$0.15 ؋9.99
1913.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.53
$2.10 ؋136
-8.57%
Eggs
$2.73 MX$50.5
$1.65 ؋107
65.45%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.77 MX$218
$7.49 ؋486
57.14%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.53 MX$176
$3.30 ؋214
188.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.41 MX$266
$6.09 ؋395
136.62%
Apples (1kg)
$3.02 MX$55.8
$0.59 ؋38.30
411.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.89 MX$35.01
$1.13 ؋73.5
67.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.70
$0.82 ؋53.2
142.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 MX$40.38
$0.61 ؋39.27
259.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 MX$35.43
$0.47 ؋30.46
308.51%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$34.49
$0.38 ؋24.88
392.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.44 MX$26.62
$0.56 ؋36.54
157.14%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.39
$0.32 ؋20.97
296.88%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.86 ؋121
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.22 MX$96.4
$1.57 ؋102
232.48%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.17 MX$299
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90 MX$35.03
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.22 MX$78.0
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.34 MX$6.30
$0.81 ؋52.2
-58.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.65 MX$363
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.00 MX$36.90
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.52 MX$9.67
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.34 MX$98.7
$1.52 ؋98.7
251.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.52 MX$28.13
$1.53 ؋99.4
-0.65%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.1K MX$408.0K
$9,927 ؋643.5K
122.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K MX$452.9K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.1 MX$1,129
$83.3 ؋5,399
-26.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.58 MX$528
$16.98 ؋1,101
68.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.47 MX$637
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$56.4 MX$1,042
$11.53 ؋747
388.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.88 MX$460
$3.87 ؋251
542.89%
Cinema Ticket
$6.66 MX$123
$4.68 ؋304
42.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$427 MX$7,891
$76.6 ؋4,967
457.28%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K MX$215.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 MX$1,253
$12.93 ؋838
424.36%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.0 MX$960
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 MX$1,959
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 MX$2,080
$18.48 ؋1,198
508.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,025 MX$18.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$654 MX$12.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,308 MX$42.7K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,242 MX$22.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,936 MX$35.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Mazar-i-Sharif
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$964 MX$17.8K
$235 ؋15.2K
309.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.3
0
-

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$654
Mazar-i-Sharif
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$318
Mazar-i-Sharif
$105 67.1% $213
Eating Out
Mexico City
$204
Mazar-i-Sharif
$49 75.8% $155
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$152
Mazar-i-Sharif
$14 * 90.7% $138
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$124
Mazar-i-Sharif
$100 * 19.2% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$70
Mazar-i-Sharif
$21 70% $49
Getting Around
Mexico City
$26
Mazar-i-Sharif
$3.2 * 87.4% $22

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

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 310% 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: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $318 vs $105 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇦🇫 Mazar-i-Sharif
🕒 Local time
02:28 2:28 AM
12:58 12:58 PM
10 h 30 min ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
300,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

AFN, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Afghanistan Afghani exchange rates as of October 24, 2026: 1 USD = 64.83 AFN (100 AFN = 1.54 USD). 1 EUR = 72.88 AFN (100 AFN = 1.37 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Mazar-i-Sharif 13,610 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Mazar-i-Sharif

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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mazar-i-Sharif cheaper than Mexico City?
Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 429% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Mexico City or Mazar-i-Sharif?
Average pay runs 310% 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.
How do food prices compare in Mexico City and in Mazar-i-Sharif?
Supermarket bills run roughly 204% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Mexico City and in Mazar-i-Sharif?
All in, you'll spend $1,548 per month in Mexico City versus $292 in Mazar-i-Sharif – a 429% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mexico City or in Mazar-i-Sharif?
At $292 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,548 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mazar-i-Sharif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mazar-i-Sharif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Mexico City or Mazar-i-Sharif more family-friendly?
For families, Mazar-i-Sharif is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 429% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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