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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $453 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $617 in Mazar-i-Sharif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 470% more expensive than in Mazar-i-Sharif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Mazar-i-Sharif is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$2.32 ؋149

421.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$882

$15.11 ؋974

245.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$3.84 ؋247

183.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.50 ؋484

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.57 ؋488

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$1.17 ؋75.6

246.15%

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

$1.72 MX$28.96

$0.54 ؋34.68

218.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.26

$0.29 ؋18.68

375.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.30

$0.59 ؋38.21

213.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$0.16 ؋10.16

1912.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.21

$2.02 ؋130

3.47%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.12

$1.61 ؋104

80.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$7.76 ؋500

60.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$3.37 ؋217

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$6.16 ؋397

157.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$0.56 ؋35.89

491.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.91

$1.11 ؋71.5

91.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.81 ؋52.3

170.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.33

$0.64 ؋40.97

282.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.96

$0.49 ؋31.89

346.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.16

$0.38 ؋24.54

400.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.28

$0.51 ؋32.77

217.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.79

$0.31 ؋20.00

335.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 ؋117

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$1.56 ؋101

248.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.92

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.78 ؋50.3

-56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.45

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.50 ؋96.8

298.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.28

$1.46 ؋94.1

10.96%

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

$22.8K MX$385.2K

$10.1K ؋650.8K

125.96%

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

$26.7K MX$450.2K

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$79.4 ؋5,120

-17.85%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$16.71 ؋1,077

78.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$11.48 ؋740

431.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$3.71 ؋239

619.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.59 ؋296

49.24%

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

$453 MX$7,656

$76.0 ؋4,902

496.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,266

$13.04 ؋840

474.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,918

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,071

$18.26 ؋1,178

571.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$226 ؋14.5K

364.14%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mazar-i-Sharif: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Mexico City pays 364% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Mazar-i-Sharif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $105 per month, with Mazar-i-Sharif 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 Mazar-i-Sharif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mazar-i-Sharif is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 470% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 364% 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 230% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif – a 470% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $289 in Mazar-i-Sharif versus $1,646 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.

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.

Expats usually find Mazar-i-Sharif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 470% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.