Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Islamabad and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $599 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
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Islamabad Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Islamabad and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Islamabad and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $599 per month in Islamabad vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

Islamabad $599
Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $930 per month in Islamabad vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

Islamabad $930
Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $1,261 per month in Islamabad vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

Islamabad $1,261
Mexico City $3,333

Islamabad is about 62% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Islamabad sits 56% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.63 PKR 1,004

$10.75 MX$199

-66.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.40 PKR 6,478

$50.3 MX$929

-53.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 PKR 1,534

$11.10 MX$205

-50.09%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

Cappuccino

$2.64 PKR 730

$3.68 MX$68.1

-28.26%

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

$0.32 PKR 89.6

$1.65 MX$30.42

-80.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.7

$1.30 MX$24.08

-82.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MX$61.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 259

$1.77 MX$32.68

-46.89%

White Bread (500g)

$0.72 PKR 200

$3.05 MX$56.4

-76.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$2.01 MX$37.20

-35.32%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 339

$2.77 MX$51.1

-55.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.05 PKR 1,674

$11.91 MX$220

-49.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 PKR 855

$9.33 MX$172

-66.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.35 PKR 1,482

$15.02 MX$278

-64.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 PKR 350

$3.08 MX$56.8

-59.09%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 PKR 241

$1.95 MX$35.97

-55.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 288

$2.03 MX$37.54

-48.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$2.21 MX$40.92

-76.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 PKR 81.2

$2.02 MX$37.41

-85.64%

Onion (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.4

$1.82 MX$33.67

-80.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.52 MX$28.07

-81.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.28 MX$23.65

-69.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.24 PKR 619

$5.27 MX$97.4

-57.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$36.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$78.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.07

$0.31 MX$5.82

-48.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.34 PKR 5,905

$19.85 MX$367

7.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.24 PKR 344

$2.00 MX$36.93

-38.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 204

$0.53 MX$9.86

39.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.60 PKR 442

$5.62 MX$104

-71.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 PKR 378

$1.52 MX$28.07

-9.87%

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

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

$21.0K MX$388.7K

159.09%

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

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

$25.2K MX$465.3K

-5.25%

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

$103 PKR 28.6K

$62.5 MX$1,155

65.24%

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

$5.99 PKR 1,658

$28.77 MX$532

-79.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.15 PKR 4,746

$34.45 MX$637

-50.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.20 PKR 7,806

$57.1 MX$1,055

-50.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.47 PKR 2,344

$24.81 MX$458

-65.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.43 PKR 1,226

$6.67 MX$123

-33.58%

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

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

$431 MX$7,964

-82.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

$11.7K MX$216.9K

-57.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$25.72 PKR 7,118

$70.8 MX$1,308

-63.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.48 PKR 9,543

$51.8 MX$958

-33.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

$109 MX$2,011

-12.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

$112 MX$2,076

-63.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 PKR 76.5K

$1,051 MX$19.4K

-73.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 PKR 38.3K

$665 MX$12.3K

-79.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 PKR 158.2K

$2,346 MX$43.3K

-75.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$270 PKR 74.9K

$1,227 MX$22.7K

-77.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

$3,554 MX$65.7K

-54.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$836 PKR 231.5K

$1,977 MX$36.5K

-57.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$380 PKR 105.2K

$975 MX$18.0K

-60.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.08

11.3

15.75%

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

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Islamabad

$139 23.1%

Mexico City

$665 42.4% 380% $526

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Islamabad

$126 21.1%

Mexico City

$126 8% 0.6% $0.7

Groceries & Markets

Islamabad

$102 17%

Mexico City

$323 20.6% 216% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Islamabad

$89 14.8%

Mexico City

$155 9.9% 74.5% $66

Eating Out

Islamabad

$80 13.3%

Mexico City

$203 13% 155% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Islamabad

$37 6.2%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 90% $33

Getting Around

Islamabad

$27 4.5%

Mexico City

$26 1.6% 4.1% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Islamabad versus $1,051 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 156% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Islamabad versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $102 vs $323 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

04:33 4:33 AM

17:33 5:33 PM

11 h behind Islamabad

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,009,832 Capital

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to PKR – Pakistani Rupee Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇰 Pakistani Rupee (₨)

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to PKR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Islamabad Mexico City 14,050 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Islamabad
Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 162%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $899 per month in Islamabad and $2,351 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Islamabad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 216% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Islamabad and $50.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Islamabad, where all-in costs run around $599, than in Mexico City at $1,567. In Islamabad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Islamabad – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Islamabad. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.