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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $776 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,352 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,928 in Shymkent.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 112% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Shymkent is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$10.77 ₸4,907

12.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$32.49 ₸14.8K

60.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$6.63 ₸3,021

64.40%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$2.39 ₸1,091

69.46%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$1.02 ₸467

68.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.53 ₸242

160.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

$1.05 ₸480

230.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

$1.33 ₸607

336.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$1.46 ₸666

26.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.42 ₸193

666.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.72 ₸783

21.51%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$1.63 ₸741

78.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$10.25 ₸4,670

21.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$5.14 ₸2,343

96.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$8.80 ₸4,009

80.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.18 ₸538

180.51%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$2.09 ₸954

1.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$2.50 ₸1,139

-12.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$1.35 ₸614

81.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.53 ₸244

313.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.40 ₸181

375.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.86 ₸392

88.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.83 ₸380

62.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.46 ₸1,121

120.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

$4.36 ₸1,987

303.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

$1.04 ₸476

99.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

$1.54 ₸703

208.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.13 ₸60.1

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$0.83 ₸377

145.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.37 ₸166

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$9.78 ₸4,457

-38.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.59 ₸267

174.58%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$26.9K ₸12.2M

-15.16%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$29.0K ₸13.2M

-8.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$46.53 ₸21.2K

40.21%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$9.10 ₸4,145

228.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$14.64 ₸6,671

149.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$38.70 ₸17.6K

57.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

$8.60 ₸3,920

210.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$5.40 ₸2,462

26.85%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$56.5 ₸25.7K

703.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$35.70 ₸16.3K

110.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$33.12 ₸15.1K

66.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$182 ₸82.9K

-37.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$52.1 ₸23.7K

135.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$333 ₸151.8K

240.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$202 ₸91.9K

252.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$693 ₸315.7K

271.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$550 ₸250.7K

138.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$1,075 ₸489.6K

271.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$974 ₸443.6K

115.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$432 ₸196.9K

142.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

18.25

-38.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $333 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 142% 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 $32.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $183 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 112% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $776 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 142% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $333 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $56.5 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 $32.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $776 in Shymkent versus $1,646 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 112% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.