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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $500 in Mardan versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $767 in Mardan versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,033 in Mardan versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mardan is 63% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.59 PKR 994

$11.92 MX$206

-69.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.00 PKR 6,371

$51.6 MX$890

-55.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 PKR 1,531

$11.41 MX$197

-51.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.59 PKR 994

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 PKR 1,918

Cappuccino

$2.62 PKR 725

$3.99 MX$68.9

-34.34%

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

$0.36 PKR 98.5

$1.66 MX$28.61

-78.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 64.0

$1.33 MX$22.87

-82.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 252

$1.88 MX$32.36

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 PKR 220

$3.25 MX$56.1

-75.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 357

$2.16 MX$37.26

-40.28%

Eggs

$1.21 PKR 336

$2.90 MX$49.94

-58.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.97 PKR 823

$12.86 MX$222

-76.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 PKR 864

$10.05 MX$173

-68.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.74 PKR 1,035

$15.86 MX$273

-76.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 260

$3.29 MX$56.8

-71.43%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.01 MX$34.60

-63.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 PKR 295

$2.20 MX$37.93

-51.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 103

$2.36 MX$40.63

-84.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.28 PKR 78.3

$2.05 MX$35.43

-86.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$1.90 MX$32.79

-81.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.28 PKR 76.4

$1.61 MX$27.68

-82.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.37 PKR 103

$1.40 MX$24.09

-73.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 489

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 PKR 326

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 PKR 746

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.78 PKR 493

$5.46 MX$94.2

-67.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.23

$0.34 MX$5.84

-52.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.72 PKR 2,970

$20.81 MX$359

-48.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.30 PKR 359

$2.10 MX$36.15

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 PKR 205

$0.56 MX$9.64

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.66 PKR 460

$5.81 MX$100

-71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 PKR 283

$1.61 MX$27.68

-36.65%

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

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

-6.11%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-10.24%

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

$104 PKR 28.9K

$65.2 MX$1,124

59.80%

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

$5.69 PKR 1,575

$30.09 MX$519

-81.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.72 PKR 4,353

$37.18 MX$641

-57.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.73 PKR 4,079

$59.8 MX$1,030

-75.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$4.34 PKR 1,203

$7.04 MX$121

-38.35%

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

$75.2 PKR 20.8K

$465 MX$8,012

-83.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,028 PKR 284.9K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-92.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.74 PKR 6,852

$75.9 MX$1,308

-67.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 PKR 9,501

$56.0 MX$965

-38.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.1 PKR 27.2K

$112 MX$1,929

-12.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.71 PKR 11.3K

$121 MX$2,078

-66.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$128 PKR 35.4K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-88.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

$721 MX$12.4K

-89.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 PKR 69.4K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-90.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$151 PKR 41.7K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-88.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$994 PKR 275.4K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-75.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$591 PKR 163.8K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-71.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

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 Mardan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $128 in Mardan and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Mardan vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $85.0 vs $345 per month, with Mardan 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

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

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 232% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $750 in Mardan and $2,489 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $128 in Mardan versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $75.2 in Mardan versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 305% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $500 in Mardan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 232% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.