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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $324 in Jhelum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $510 in Jhelum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $696 in Jhelum.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 349% more expensive than in Jhelum, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Jhelum is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.73 PKR 481

655.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$10.43 PKR 2,895

415.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$3.61 PKR 1,001

168.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 800

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 PKR 1,303

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.50 PKR 417

149.33%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.31 PKR 86.0

422.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.24 PKR 67.0

383.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.61 PKR 170

170.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.59 PKR 164

366.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.29 PKR 359

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.19 PKR 331

110.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$5.15 PKR 1,431

98.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$2.44 PKR 679

238.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$3.05 PKR 848

287.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.98 PKR 272

207.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.58 PKR 162

212.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.62 PKR 172

222.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.51 PKR 141

292.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.38 PKR 104

447.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.54 PKR 150

320.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.20 PKR 54.4

630.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.24 PKR 66.8

350.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.95 PKR 263

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 570

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$0.85 PKR 235

411.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.17 PKR 46.33

129.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$7.16 PKR 1,988

161.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.09 PKR 302

22.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.49 PKR 135

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$1.74 PKR 482

201.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.97 PKR 270

38.14%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

-10.46%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$21.4K PKR 5.9M

11.40%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

-22.03%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$2.79 PKR 775

863.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$12.93 PKR 3,591

135.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$12.36 PKR 3,433

327.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$5.90 PKR 1,637

351.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.45 PKR 958

88.70%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$17.80 PKR 4,942

2304.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$1,152 PKR 319.8K

811.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$16.09 PKR 4,469

255.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$22.13 PKR 6,145

105.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

73.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$25.89 PKR 7,189

316.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$75.5 PKR 21.0K

1228.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$51.4 PKR 14.3K

1111.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$165 PKR 45.8K

1178.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$104 PKR 28.9K

1069.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$899 PKR 249.7K

331.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$543 PKR 150.7K

274.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-37.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Jhelum: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $75.5 in Jhelum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $10.00 in Jhelum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $78.0 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 349% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $487 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $75.5 in Jhelum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 274% 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 $10.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $324 in Jhelum versus $1,456 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 349% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.