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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Shymkent costs roughly 54% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.57 ₸4,664

$13.18 MX$228

-27.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.66 ₸9,579

$53.9 MX$934

-63.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 ₸3,298

$9.42 MX$163

-28.13%

Cappuccino

$1.87 ₸912

$3.55 MX$61.5

-47.32%

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

$1.01 ₸490

$1.62 MX$28.03

-37.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.44 ₸213

$1.11 MX$19.31

-60.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ₸563

$3.12 MX$54.1

-62.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₸930

$4.63 MX$80.2

-58.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 ₸534

$1.70 MX$29.48

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.30 ₸148

$2.72 MX$47.10

-88.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 ₸767

$1.91 MX$33.13

-17.80%

Eggs

$1.44 ₸702

$2.54 MX$43.94

-43.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.95 ₸3,871

$10.03 MX$174

-20.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 ₸2,066

$8.09 MX$140

-47.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.50 ₸3,166

$11.62 MX$201

-44.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 ₸489

$2.97 MX$51.4

-66.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ₸894

$1.81 MX$31.30

1.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ₸920

$2.01 MX$34.88

-5.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ₸499

$2.03 MX$35.26

-49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 ₸231

$2.12 MX$36.82

-77.83%

Onion (1kg)

$0.38 ₸184

$2.27 MX$39.32

-83.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 ₸378

$1.40 MX$24.26

-44.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ₸311

$1.13 MX$19.59

-43.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.91 ₸930

$4.27 MX$74.0

-55.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.97 ₸1,935

$15.56 MX$270

-74.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ₸454

$1.76 MX$30.44

-47.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ₸673

$3.60 MX$62.3

-61.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 ₸77.7

$0.38 MX$6.64

-57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 ₸409

$1.38 MX$23.84

-39.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ₸308

$0.28 MX$4.79

125.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.91 ₸2,879

$5.45 MX$94.4

8.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 ₸222

$1.30 MX$22.60

-64.62%

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

$19.8K ₸9.7M

$18.7K MX$323.8K

6.11%

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

$24.6K ₸12.0M

$23.1K MX$400.8K

6.17%

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

$51.1 ₸24.9K

$40.86 MX$708

24.94%

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

$8.84 ₸4,306

$26.81 MX$465

-67.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.49 ₸6,086

$29.96 MX$519

-58.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.82 ₸16.0K

$52.0 MX$901

-36.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 ₸3,748

$26.84 MX$465

-71.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.75 ₸2,315

$6.30 MX$109

-24.60%

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

$49.35 ₸24.0K

$436 MX$7,558

-88.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,935 ₸2.4M

$10.4K MX$180.5K

-52.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.43 ₸15.8K

$56.7 MX$982

-42.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.01 ₸14.6K

$44.38 MX$769

-32.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 ₸59.7K

$103 MX$1,784

19.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.31 ₸22.6K

$106 MX$1,829

-56.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$306 ₸149.1K

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-70.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 ₸86.4K

$631 MX$10.9K

-71.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$470 ₸229.2K

$2,136 MX$37.0K

-77.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₸172.4K

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-71.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,040 ₸506.5K

$3,903 MX$67.6K

-73.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$911 ₸443.6K

$2,064 MX$35.8K

-55.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$401 ₸195.1K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-64.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.5

11.34

71.96%

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

Last update for Shymkent: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $306 in Shymkent and $1,022 in Mexico City. 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: $20.00 in Shymkent vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $288 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

Shymkent vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

On paper, Mexico City earns 178% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

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

Childcare runs $49.35 in Shymkent versus $436 in Mexico City. 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, Shymkent and Mexico City 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.