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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $555 in Taraz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $888 in Taraz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,221 in Taraz.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 163% more expensive than in Taraz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Taraz is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.82 ₸2,739

124.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$19.52 ₸9,191

175.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.95 ₸2,802

62.69%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.36 ₸639

175.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.76 ₸360

113.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.38 ₸177

205.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.20 ₸563

169.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.60 ₸755

196.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.94 ₸443

75.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.38 ₸178

623.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.14 ₸536

64.04%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.73 ₸816

44.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.78 ₸4,134

16.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.56 ₸2,148

80.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.29 ₸3,432

62.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.30 ₸612

131.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.89 ₸891

-4.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.93 ₸907

3.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.88 ₸885

6.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.54 ₸255

285.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.41 ₸191

453.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.99 ₸467

47.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.76 ₸360

42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.98 ₸930

119.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$4.11 ₸1,934

313.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$0.92 ₸434

88.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.59 ₸747

125.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.18 ₸84.6

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.77 ₸360

72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.38 ₸180

-26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$3.44 ₸1,619

52.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.45 ₸213

197.78%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$20.3K ₸9.5M

-4.21%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$21.3K ₸10.0M

11.87%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$50.1 ₸23.6K

-18.80%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$7.87 ₸3,707

241.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$7.73 ₸3,641

294.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$32.02 ₸15.1K

64.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.84 ₸1,806

69.53%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$211 ₸99.1K

103.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$4,944 ₸2.3M

112.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$23.76 ₸11.2K

140.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$38.49 ₸18.1K

18.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$98.6 ₸46.4K

5.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$58.0 ₸27.3K

85.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$237 ₸111.8K

322.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$98.7 ₸46.5K

530.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$398 ₸187.3K

430.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$179 ₸84.1K

581.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$812 ₸382.5K

378.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$563 ₸265.2K

260.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$264 ₸124.4K

292.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

16.25

-30.22%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $237 in Taraz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 293% 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 Taraz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $162 per month, with Taraz 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 Taraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Taraz differ by about 163% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $555 including rent). Taraz is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 293% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $237 in Taraz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $211 in Taraz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Taraz – 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 $555 in Taraz versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taraz but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Taraz 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 Taraz 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 Taraz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.