Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Shymkent Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Shymkent

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $679 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,091 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,503 in Shymkent.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 116% more expensive than Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$9.57 ₸4,664

37.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$19.66 ₸9,579

174.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.77 ₸3,298

39.14%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.87 ₸912

89.84%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$1.01 ₸490

60.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.44 ₸213

152.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.16 ₸563

168.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.91 ₸930

142.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.10 ₸534

54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.30 ₸148

806.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.57 ₸767

21.66%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.44 ₸702

76.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.95 ₸3,871

26.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.24 ₸2,066

90.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$6.50 ₸3,166

78.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.00 ₸489

197.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.84 ₸894

-1.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.89 ₸920

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$1.02 ₸499

99.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.47 ₸231

351.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.38 ₸184

497.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.78 ₸378

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.64 ₸311

76.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.91 ₸930

123.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$3.97 ₸1,935

291.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$0.93 ₸454

89.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.38 ₸673

160.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.16 ₸77.7

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.84 ₸409

64.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.63 ₸308

-55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$5.91 ₸2,879

-7.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.46 ₸222

182.61%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$19.8K ₸9.7M

-5.75%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$24.6K ₸12.0M

-5.81%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$51.1 ₸24.9K

-19.96%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$8.84 ₸4,306

203.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$12.49 ₸6,086

139.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$32.82 ₸16.0K

58.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$7.69 ₸3,748

249.02%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.75 ₸2,315

32.63%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$49.35 ₸24.0K

783.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,935 ₸2.4M

111.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$32.43 ₸15.8K

74.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$30.01 ₸14.6K

47.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$123 ₸59.7K

-16.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$46.31 ₸22.6K

127.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$306 ₸149.1K

233.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$177 ₸86.4K

255.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$470 ₸229.2K

354.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$354 ₸172.4K

251.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$1,040 ₸506.5K

275.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$911 ₸443.6K

126.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$401 ₸195.1K

178.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

19.5

-41.85%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $306 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 178% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $148 per month, with Shymkent 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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Shymkent differ by about 116% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $679 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 178% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $306 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $49.35 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $679 in Shymkent versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Shymkent are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 116% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.