😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,117 in Obninsk.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,803 in Obninsk.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,488 in Obninsk.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 33% more expensive than Obninsk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Obninsk is 17% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$12.52₽940
3.67%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$58.6₽4,402
-9.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$6.22₽467
56.27%
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$3.18₽239
17.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$1.37₽103
14.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.63₽47.62
79.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
$1.35₽102
135.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
$4.40₽331
5.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$1.17₽87.8
38.46%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$0.84₽63.4
222.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$1.69₽127
11.24%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$1.84₽138
36.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$13.01₽977
-22.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$5.82₽437
42.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$12.10₽909
-1.32%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$1.89₽142
51.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.76₽132
-0.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$2.38₽179
-12.61%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$4.06₽305
-51.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$0.99₽74.4
118.18%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$0.78₽58.8
179.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$1.63₽123
-14.72%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.75₽56.2
49.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$3.20₽240
31.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
$5.26₽395
170.91%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
$1.07₽80.3
64.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
$2.32₽174
58.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$0.54₽40.21
-27.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$2.52₽189
-44.84%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$0.48₽36.00
-37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$8.34₽626
-35.01%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$0.81₽61.0
66.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$37.9K₽2.8M
-50.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$36.4K₽2.7M
-36.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$153₽11.5K
-73.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$7.78₽584
253.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$8.09₽607
275.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$34.87₽2,619
53.23%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$12.58₽945
109.06%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$6.26₽470
0.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$321₽24.1K
35.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$6,988₽524.9K
49.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$88.9₽6,675
-36.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$53.2₽3,997
-15.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$133₽10.0K
-22.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$159₽11.9K
-31.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$441₽33.1K
126.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$301₽22.6K
105.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$763₽57.3K
180.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$508₽38.1K
143.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$1,994₽149.8K
93.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
$1,530₽114.9K
52.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Obninsk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
8
41.75%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Last update for Obninsk: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $441 in Obninsk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $59.0 in Obninsk. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $229, with Obninsk cheaper for home cooking.
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 Obninsk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Obninsk?
Mexico City and Obninsk differ by about 33% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,117 including rent). Obninsk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Obninsk?
You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,676 in Obninsk to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and Obninsk?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $441 in Obninsk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Obninsk?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $321 in Obninsk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Obninsk – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,117 in Obninsk versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Obninsk but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Obninsk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Obninsk?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Mexico City or Obninsk safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Obninsk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Obninsk?
Expats usually find Obninsk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared