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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $484 in Karachi versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $735 in Karachi versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $987 in Karachi versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Karachi costs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Karachi is 64% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 PKR 572

$13.07 MX$229

-84.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.56 PKR 3,487

$53.8 MX$943

-76.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.99 PKR 1,108

$9.68 MX$170

-58.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 PKR 537

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,463

Cappuccino

$1.81 PKR 503

$3.74 MX$65.6

-51.60%

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

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$1.62 MX$28.34

-79.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$1.16 MX$20.37

-81.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 220

$1.65 MX$28.89

-52.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 PKR 161

$2.75 MX$48.30

-78.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 PKR 328

$1.87 MX$32.87

-36.90%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 321

$2.50 MX$43.86

-54.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 PKR 1,781

$10.20 MX$179

-37.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 867

$8.25 MX$145

-62.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.09 PKR 1,413

$11.82 MX$207

-56.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 286

$3.01 MX$52.8

-65.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.60 PKR 166

$1.81 MX$31.77

-66.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.92 PKR 257

$2.00 MX$35.07

-54.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$2.00 MX$35.00

-71.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$2.08 MX$36.56

-83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$2.27 MX$39.85

-77.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 PKR 99.8

$1.46 MX$25.55

-75.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 PKR 113

$1.08 MX$18.88

-62.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.25 PKR 346

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 PKR 367

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 PKR 573

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 PKR 599

$4.35 MX$76.3

-50.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 PKR 92.7

$0.39 MX$6.79

-15.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.43 PKR 1,785

$18.69 MX$328

-65.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.74 PKR 206

$1.33 MX$23.25

-44.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 PKR 170

$0.28 MX$4.91

117.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.74 PKR 484

$5.25 MX$92.1

-66.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 PKR 261

$1.34 MX$23.44

-29.85%

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

$16.7K PKR 4.6M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-13.75%

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

$25.3K PKR 7.0M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

6.04%

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

$134 PKR 37.3K

$40.69 MX$714

230.20%

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

$5.00 PKR 1,388

$26.87 MX$471

-81.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.28 PKR 3,689

$30.51 MX$535

-56.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.87 PKR 4,406

$52.8 MX$926

-69.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.35 PKR 3,984

$26.65 MX$467

-46.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,206

$6.51 MX$114

-33.33%

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

$58.8 PKR 16.3K

$428 MX$7,508

-86.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,356 PKR 376.6K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-87.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.71 PKR 4,919

$57.3 MX$1,004

-69.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.79 PKR 7,163

$45.50 MX$798

-43.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 PKR 17.8K

$104 MX$1,825

-38.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.84 PKR 9,953

$108 MX$1,891

-66.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 PKR 32.8K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-88.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$74.7 PKR 20.7K

$623 MX$10.9K

-88.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 PKR 88.6K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-84.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 PKR 50.3K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-85.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$932 PKR 258.7K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-76.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$433 PKR 120.3K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-78.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$177 PKR 49.1K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-82.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

17.8

11.34

56.97%

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

Last update for Karachi: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Karachi and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 486% 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: $13.00 in Karachi vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $97.0 vs $292 per month, with Karachi 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

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

Karachi and Mexico City differ by about 201% in total monthly costs ($484 vs $1,456 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 486% lower in Mexico City. 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: $118 in Karachi versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $484 per month in Karachi versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 201% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 191% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $484 in Karachi versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi 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.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 201% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.