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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $390 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $596 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $803 in Jhelum.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 326% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Jhelum is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$1.76 PKR 488

577.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$10.62 PKR 2,943

385.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.25 PKR 1,456

117.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 PKR 607

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.52 PKR 422

162.50%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.47 PKR 131

253.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.32 PKR 89.2

315.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.63 PKR 174

198.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.66 PKR 182

392.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.27 PKR 351

70.08%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.21 PKR 335

139.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$2.66 PKR 738

383.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.33 PKR 645

331.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$2.62 PKR 725

505.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.04 PKR 287

216.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.35 PKR 96.5

474.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.55 PKR 152

300.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.47 PKR 129

402.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.31 PKR 87.0

561.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.37 PKR 104

413.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.54 PKR 150

198.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.42 PKR 117

233.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 494

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 PKR 146

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 PKR 722

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.36 PKR 653

131.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.18 PKR 48.68

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$9.48 PKR 2,625

119.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.05 PKR 291

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.06 PKR 295

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$2.84 PKR 788

104.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.11 PKR 308

45.05%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-4.16%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

14.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$66.3 PKR 18.4K

-1.63%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$5.65 PKR 1,566

432.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$14.69 PKR 4,070

153.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$15.16 PKR 4,198

294.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.29 PKR 2,020

-3.43%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$26.13 PKR 7,237

1678.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,033 PKR 563.1K

553.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$18.92 PKR 5,241

301.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$26.69 PKR 7,395

109.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$54.8 PKR 15.2K

104.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$30.28 PKR 8,389

297.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$142 PKR 39.4K

674.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$72.2 PKR 20.0K

898.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$226 PKR 62.7K

1017.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$161 PKR 44.5K

704.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$992 PKR 274.8K

302.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$494 PKR 136.9K

322.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.83

-4.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $142 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $71.0 per month, with Jhelum 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

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

Jhelum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 326% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $585 in Jhelum to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $142 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 386% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Jhelum – a meal for two runs $11.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $390 in Jhelum versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jhelum but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jhelum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Jhelum 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Jhelum are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Jhelum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 326% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.