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 $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $639 in Mardan versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $844 in Mardan versus $3,174 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 68% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.13 PKR 593

$12.98 MX$223

-83.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.42 PKR 4,010

$52.6 MX$903

-72.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.18 PKR 1,441

$9.43 MX$162

-45.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$2.00 PKR 556

$3.57 MX$61.3

-43.98%

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

$0.31 PKR 86.2

$1.61 MX$27.55

-80.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 PKR 60.9

$1.15 MX$19.81

-80.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 PKR 224

$1.70 MX$29.17

-52.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 PKR 185

$2.64 MX$45.23

-75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.90 MX$32.67

-55.26%

Eggs

$1.15 PKR 320

$2.54 MX$43.62

-54.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.23 PKR 1,733

$10.08 MX$173

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.38 PKR 661

$8.29 MX$142

-71.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 907

$11.57 MX$199

-71.82%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 192

$3.03 MX$52.0

-77.23%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.71 MX$29.35

-67.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.94 PKR 263

$2.05 MX$35.16

-54.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.2

$2.06 MX$35.36

-83.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.24 PKR 66.1

$2.06 MX$35.43

-88.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 PKR 92.9

$2.17 MX$37.25

-84.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.33 PKR 91.8

$1.40 MX$24.08

-76.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.12 PKR 34.05

$1.12 MX$19.26

-89.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.38 PKR 384

$4.29 MX$73.7

-67.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 45.73

$0.38 MX$6.55

-57.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.25 PKR 2,016

$19.06 MX$327

-61.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.38 MX$23.70

-73.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 PKR 103

$0.28 MX$4.74

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.75 PKR 487

$5.42 MX$92.9

-67.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 265

$1.28 MX$21.98

-25.78%

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

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

10.55%

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

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

11.31%

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

$112 PKR 31.2K

$41.02 MX$704

173.21%

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

$5.62 PKR 1,562

$26.92 MX$462

-79.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 PKR 5,280

$29.69 MX$510

-36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.30 PKR 3,420

$52.3 MX$898

-76.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.78 PKR 1,607

$26.23 MX$450

-77.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 PKR 1,147

$6.18 MX$106

-33.17%

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

$17.76 PKR 4,937

$427 MX$7,331

-95.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-89.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.73 PKR 6,043

$56.8 MX$975

-61.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.38 PKR 7,891

$44.83 MX$769

-36.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

$105 MX$1,794

-16.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.89 PKR 4,973

$106 MX$1,819

-83.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$995 MX$17.1K

-92.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

$621 MX$10.7K

-91.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$164 PKR 45.5K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-92.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-91.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$774 PKR 215.2K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-80.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$424 PKR 118.0K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-79.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$268 PKR 74.4K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-75.84%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Mardan and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 314% 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 $79.0 vs $288 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 234% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 314% 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: $73.9 in Mardan versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $17.76 in Mardan versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 262% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,447 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 234% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.