Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Islamabad

For one person, living is cheaper in Islamabad: $599 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $11,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Islamabad
Learn more

Islamabad Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Islamabad

🇵🇰 Pakistan

$599

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Islamabad

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Islamabad actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,567 per month in Mexico City vs $599 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mexico City $1,567
Islamabad $599

A couple spends around $2,450 per month in Mexico City vs $930 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mexico City $2,450
Islamabad $930

A family of three spends $3,333 per month in Mexico City vs $1,261 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mexico City $3,333
Islamabad $1,261

Mexico City costs about 162% more than Islamabad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mexico City sits 16% above the global median, while Islamabad is 56% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 MX$199

$3.63 PKR 1,004

196.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 MX$929

$23.40 PKR 6,478

114.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 MX$205

$5.54 PKR 1,534

100.36%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.57 PKR 987

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 PKR 1,864

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$68.1

$2.64 PKR 730

39.39%

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

$1.65 MX$30.42

$0.32 PKR 89.6

415.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 MX$24.08

$0.23 PKR 63.7

465.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.32 MX$61.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.54 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$32.68

$0.94 PKR 259

88.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$56.4

$0.72 PKR 200

323.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 MX$37.20

$1.30 PKR 361

54.62%

Eggs

$2.77 MX$51.1

$1.22 PKR 339

127.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 MX$220

$6.05 PKR 1,674

96.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 MX$172

$3.09 PKR 855

201.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 MX$278

$5.35 PKR 1,482

180.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.08 MX$56.8

$1.26 PKR 350

144.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 MX$35.97

$0.87 PKR 241

124.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.54

$1.04 PKR 288

95.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 MX$40.92

$0.53 PKR 146

316.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$37.41

$0.29 PKR 81.2

596.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.82 MX$33.67

$0.36 PKR 99.4

405.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$0.28 PKR 76.4

442.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$23.65

$0.39 PKR 108

228.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.95 PKR 539

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 PKR 331

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 PKR 743

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.27 MX$97.4

$2.24 PKR 619

135.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 MX$36.05

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$78.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.82

$0.16 PKR 43.07

93.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.85 MX$367

$21.34 PKR 5,905

-6.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.00 MX$36.93

$1.24 PKR 344

61.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.86

$0.74 PKR 204

-28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 MX$104

$1.60 PKR 442

251.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$28.07

$1.37 PKR 378

10.95%

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

$21.0K MX$388.7K

$54.5K PKR 15.1M

-61.40%

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

$25.2K MX$465.3K

$23.9K PKR 6.6M

5.54%

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

$62.5 MX$1,155

$103 PKR 28.6K

-39.48%

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

$28.77 MX$532

$5.99 PKR 1,658

380.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.45 MX$637

$17.15 PKR 4,746

100.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,055

$28.20 PKR 7,806

102.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.81 MX$458

$8.47 PKR 2,344

192.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MX$123

$4.43 PKR 1,226

50.56%

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

$431 MX$7,964

$75.7 PKR 20.9K

469.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K MX$216.9K

$5,004 PKR 1.4M

134.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.8 MX$1,308

$25.72 PKR 7,118

175.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.8 MX$958

$34.48 PKR 9,543

50.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$2,011

$95.5 PKR 26.4K

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$112 MX$2,076

$41.32 PKR 11.4K

171.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,051 MX$19.4K

$276 PKR 76.5K

280.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 MX$12.3K

$139 PKR 38.3K

379.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,346 MX$43.3K

$572 PKR 158.2K

310.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 MX$22.7K

$270 PKR 74.9K

353.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,554 MX$65.7K

$1,629 PKR 450.8K

118.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,977 MX$36.5K

$836 PKR 231.5K

136.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$975 MX$18.0K

$380 PKR 105.2K

156.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.08

-13.61%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$665 42.4%

Islamabad

$139 23.1% 79.2% $526

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$323 20.6%

Islamabad

$102 17% 68.4% $221

Eating Out

Mexico City

$203 13%

Islamabad

$80 13.3% 60.8% $123

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$155 9.9%

Islamabad

$89 14.8% 42.7% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 8%

Islamabad

$126 21.1% 0.6% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$70 4.5%

Islamabad

$37 6.2% 47.4% $33

Getting Around

Mexico City

$26 1.6%

Islamabad

$27 4.5% 4.3% $1.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,051 in Mexico City versus $276 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 156% 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 $50.0 in Mexico City versus $23.00 in Islamabad. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $323 vs $102 – making Islamabad the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇵🇰 Islamabad

🕒 Local time

18:32 6:32 PM

05:32 5:32 AM

11 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

1,009,832 Capital

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Pakistani Rupee PKR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD

1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PKR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Pakistani Rupee exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 277 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.61 USD). 1 EUR = 311 PKR (1,000 PKR = 3.21 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Islamabad 14,050 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Islamabad

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 162%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,351 per month in Mexico City and $899 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 216% 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 $50.0 in Mexico City and $23.00 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 $599, than in Mexico City at $1,567. 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.