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: $433 in Mardan versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $641 in Mardan versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $848 in Mardan versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Mardan costs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mardan is 68% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.18 PKR 607

$12.98 MX$227

-83.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.39 PKR 4,012

$53.1 MX$929

-72.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 PKR 1,491

$9.72 MX$170

-44.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$2.06 PKR 574

$3.75 MX$65.6

-45.07%

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

$0.29 PKR 79.8

$1.57 MX$27.46

-81.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 61.0

$1.13 MX$19.76

-80.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 PKR 216

$1.62 MX$28.37

-51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$0.65 PKR 182

$2.71 MX$47.36

-76.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.88 MX$32.89

-55.32%

Eggs

$1.16 PKR 322

$2.51 MX$43.90

-53.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.03 PKR 1,680

$10.08 MX$176

-40.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.39 PKR 666

$8.29 MX$145

-71.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 PKR 866

$11.94 MX$209

-74.04%

Apples (1kg)

$0.74 PKR 205

$2.86 MX$50.1

-74.13%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 152

$1.75 MX$30.62

-68.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.95 PKR 266

$2.08 MX$36.48

-54.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 84.8

$1.97 MX$34.46

-84.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.8

$2.16 MX$37.79

-88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$2.18 MX$38.16

-83.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 86.1

$1.39 MX$24.34

-77.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.15 PKR 41.17

$1.12 MX$19.69

-86.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.37 PKR 383

$4.20 MX$73.5

-67.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 PKR 49.01

$0.39 MX$6.74

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.04 PKR 1,964

$18.66 MX$327

-62.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 102

$1.39 MX$24.26

-74.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 PKR 96.0

$0.30 MX$5.32

13.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 PKR 506

$5.42 MX$94.9

-66.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.35 MX$23.63

-28.15%

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

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

10.28%

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

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

13.31%

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

$114 PKR 31.8K

$40.82 MX$714

179.67%

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

$5.37 PKR 1,497

$27.50 MX$481

-80.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.43 PKR 5,137

$30.38 MX$532

-39.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.43 PKR 3,464

$53.4 MX$935

-76.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.91 PKR 1,647

$26.30 MX$460

-77.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.18 PKR 1,165

$6.27 MX$110

-33.33%

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

$17.36 PKR 4,839

$436 MX$7,632

-96.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-89.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.42 PKR 5,970

$56.8 MX$993

-62.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.91 PKR 7,781

$44.79 MX$784

-37.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

$103 MX$1,799

-12.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.55 PKR 4,893

$108 MX$1,888

-83.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-92.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

$620 MX$10.9K

-91.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.8K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-92.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 30.1K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-91.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$270 PKR 75.2K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-74.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.2

11.34

78.13%

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

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $75.8 in Mardan and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 296% 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: $14.00 in Mardan vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $78.0 vs $286 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 Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 242% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 296% 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: $75.8 in Mardan versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.36 in Mardan versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 265% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,484 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 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.