API cost decision in 10 seconds

Kimi K2 0711 vs Mistral Medium 3.1

Pick Mistral Medium 3.1 when budget is the priority.

Page updated:  Data confirmed:  Prices normalized to USD per 1M tokens Sample workload: 1M input + 500K output

Budget verdict

Pick Mistral Medium 3.1 when budget is the priority.

On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Mistral Medium 3.1 is estimated at $1.4 vs $1.72 for Kimi K2 0711, saving $0.32 (18.6% lower).

Cost-first pickMistral Medium 3.1
Context-first pickBoth models
Sample savings$0.3218.6%
10x traffic gap$3.2

The reported context window is tied, so cost and provider fit carry more weight. At 10x that traffic, the same price gap is about $3.2. Use the calculator below to replace the sample workload with your own token volume.

Cost sensitivity

Workload Sensitivity

Same prices, different token mixes.

Mistral Medium 3.1 stays cheaper across input-heavy, balanced, and output-heavy sample workloads.

Workload shapeToken mixBetter pickKimi K2 0711Mistral Medium 3.1
Input-heavy / RAG5M input + 500K outputMistral Medium 3.1$4$3
Balanced workload1M input + 1M outputMistral Medium 3.1$2.87$2.4
Output-heavy chatbot1M input + 5M outputMistral Medium 3.1$12.07$10.4
Cheaper input Mistral Medium 3.1 $0.57 vs $0.4 / 1M

Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.17 cheaper per 1M input tokens (29.8% lower; 1.42x difference).

Cheaper output Mistral Medium 3.1 $2.3 vs $2 / 1M

Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (13% lower; 1.15x difference).

Larger context Tie 131.07K vs 131.07K

Both models report the same context window at 131.07K tokens.

Sample workload Mistral Medium 3.1 $1.72 vs $1.4

Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.32 cheaper on the standard workload (18.6% lower).

Estimate your workload cost

Your Workload Cost

Prices are normalized to USD per 1M tokens.
Kimi K2 0711 Calculating… Estimated API cost
Mistral Medium 3.1 Calculating… Estimated API cost
Cheaper for this workload Calculating… Difference: calculating…

This estimate uses normalized public API pricing per 1M tokens. It is a planning aid, not a billing quote. Verify provider pricing, limits, and terms before production use.

Quick Decision

Verdict

Mistral Medium 3.1 has the lower input price; Mistral Medium 3.1 has the lower output price; both models report the same context window. For the 1M input plus 500K output sample, Mistral Medium 3.1 is cheaper for the standard workload.

For a 1M input token plus 500K output token workload, the estimated API cost is $1.72 for Kimi K2 0711 and $1.4 for Mistral Medium 3.1.

Best Fit

Choose Kimi K2 0711 when its provider, model quality, latency, or availability is more important than the numeric price/context winner.

Choose Mistral Medium 3.1 when you care most about lower input-token price, and lower output-token price.

Decision Notes
  • On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Mistral Medium 3.1 is estimated at $1.4 vs $1.72 for Kimi K2 0711, saving $0.32 (18.6% lower).
  • Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.32 cheaper on the standard workload (18.6% lower).
  • Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.17 cheaper per 1M input tokens (29.8% lower; 1.42x difference).
  • Mistral Medium 3.1 is $0.3 cheaper per 1M output tokens (13% lower; 1.15x difference).
  • Both models report the same context window at 131.07K tokens.
Head-to-Head Specs
FeatureKimi K2 0711
(MoonshotAI)
Mistral Medium 3.1
(Mistral)
Input Price
prompt tokens per 1M
$0.57$0.4
Completion Price
per 1M tokens
$2.3$2
Sample Workload Cost
1M input + 500K output
$1.72$1.4
Context Window131.07K131.07K
Release Date
Popularity#141#147

Use-Case Decision Matrix

Use caseBetter pickWhy
Budget-constrained productionMistral Medium 3.1On the standard 1M input plus 500K output workload, Mistral Medium 3.1 is estimated at $1.4 vs $1.72 for Kimi K2 0711, saving $0.32 (18.6% lower).
High-volume input processingMistral Medium 3.1Lower prompt-token price matters most when prompts, retrieved passages, or documents dominate the bill.
Long responses and chatbotsMistral Medium 3.1Lower output-token price matters most when assistants generate many completion tokens.
RAG or long-document workTieA larger context window leaves more room for retrieved passages, conversation history, or source files.

Related Alternatives

Same-provider lower-cost swaps
  • Kimi K2.6 (free) can replace Kimi K2 0711 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.
  • Kimi K2.5 can replace Kimi K2 0711 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $1.35.
  • Mistral Nemo can replace Mistral Medium 3.1 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.04.
  • Mistral Small 3 can replace Mistral Medium 3.1 when lower sample workload cost matters most: $0.09.
Larger context near this budget

Cheaper alternatives

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Larger context alternatives

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Provider catalogs

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MoonshotAI catalog

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Mistral catalog

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Kimi K2 0711

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