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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $529 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $835 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,141 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 177% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Islamabad is 61% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.80 PKR 779

370.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$14.22 PKR 3,955

279.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.44 PKR 1,512

73.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.00 PKR 1,112

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$2.00 PKR 557

77.50%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.43 PKR 119

276.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.22 PKR 61.1

404.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$0.94 PKR 260

80.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$0.62 PKR 173

338.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$1.21 PKR 338

57.85%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$1.20 PKR 335

111.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$6.07 PKR 1,689

65.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.39 PKR 942

138.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.38 PKR 1,218

165.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.03 PKR 287

188.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$0.78 PKR 216

132.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$0.93 PKR 260

116.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$0.60 PKR 166

238.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$0.41 PKR 115

417.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$0.54 PKR 149

320.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$0.34 PKR 93.3

311.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.37 PKR 103

205.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.93 PKR 537

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 PKR 251

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 552

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$2.14 PKR 596

99.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.19 PKR 52.2

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$6.90 PKR 1,921

177.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.86 PKR 238

60.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.44 PKR 122

-36.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$2.81 PKR 782

93.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.91 PKR 253

42.86%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-13.13%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-11.54%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$112 PKR 31.1K

-63.43%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$5.44 PKR 1,512

392.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$18.81 PKR 5,234

59.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$22.19 PKR 6,174

134.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$6.04 PKR 1,679

344.37%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.21 PKR 1,171

49.64%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$60.3 PKR 16.8K

623.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$2,805 PKR 780.2K

271.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$21.57 PKR 5,999

162.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$27.63 PKR 7,686

60.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$88.1 PKR 24.5K

16.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

164.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$198 PKR 55.1K

416.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$112 PKR 31.1K

464.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$513 PKR 142.6K

316.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$296 PKR 82.3K

319.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$1,551 PKR 431.4K

151.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$657 PKR 182.9K

213.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$387 PKR 107.8K

187.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.2

-43.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $198 in Islamabad. 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 188% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $14.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $98.0 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 177%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $794 in Islamabad. 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 194% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $14.00 in Islamabad. 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 $529, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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.