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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $534 in Islamabad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $847 in Islamabad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,160 in Islamabad, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 173% more than Islamabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Islamabad is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.85 PKR 791

358.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$14.26 PKR 3,960

276.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$5.44 PKR 1,511

77.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 477

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.82 PKR 1,061

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$1.97 PKR 547

89.85%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.40 PKR 110

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.24 PKR 67.0

383.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.96 PKR 268

71.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.66 PKR 183

316.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.28 PKR 355

46.09%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.20 PKR 334

108.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.07 PKR 1,687

68.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.37 PKR 937

144.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$4.35 PKR 1,209

171.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.04 PKR 289

189.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.84 PKR 234

115.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.91 PKR 253

119.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.56 PKR 156

257.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.41 PKR 115

407.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.57 PKR 158

298.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.31 PKR 85.4

370.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.41 PKR 113

163.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.00 PKR 555

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 258

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 567

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.14 PKR 595

103.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.17 PKR 46.51

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$7.22 PKR 2,005

158.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.85 PKR 236

56.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.43 PKR 120

-34.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$2.79 PKR 775

88.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.98 PKR 271

36.73%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$20.9K PKR 5.8M

-7.12%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$25.9K PKR 7.2M

-8.13%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$114 PKR 31.6K

-64.21%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$5.41 PKR 1,501

396.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$18.69 PKR 5,190

63.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$22.13 PKR 6,144

138.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$6.12 PKR 1,698

335.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.14 PKR 1,150

57.25%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$60.2 PKR 16.7K

611.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$2,753 PKR 764.4K

281.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$21.08 PKR 5,854

171.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$27.64 PKR 7,674

64.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$40.94 PKR 11.4K

163.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$199 PKR 55.3K

404.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$110 PKR 30.5K

466.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$505 PKR 140.1K

317.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$299 PKR 83.0K

307.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$1,513 PKR 420.1K

156.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$647 PKR 179.8K

213.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$385 PKR 106.9K

169.53%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Islamabad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $199 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 170% 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: $292 vs $100 – 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 173%, 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $801 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 193% 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 $534, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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.