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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $451 in Karachi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $720 in Karachi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $988 in Karachi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 273% more expensive than in Karachi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Karachi is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$1.84 PKR 511

542.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$14.62 PKR 4,055

256.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$5.31 PKR 1,473

104.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 PKR 521

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 PKR 1,993

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.27 PKR 629

77.53%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.34 PKR 94.5

402.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.22 PKR 60.9

509.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$0.87 PKR 240

117.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.55 PKR 154

476.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.22 PKR 339

68.03%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.22 PKR 339

146.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$6.11 PKR 1,694

106.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$3.05 PKR 847

225.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$6.10 PKR 1,693

162.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.22 PKR 339

168.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$0.60 PKR 165

243.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.04 PKR 289

100.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$0.51 PKR 143

390.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.33 PKR 92.7

521.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$0.30 PKR 83.1

523.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.39 PKR 109

302.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.40 PKR 111

247.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 PKR 360

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 PKR 377

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 PKR 681

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$1.78 PKR 492

202.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.30 PKR 83.5

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$8.02 PKR 2,224

159.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$0.71 PKR 197

190.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$0.70 PKR 194

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$2.12 PKR 589

174.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$1.27 PKR 353

21.26%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

25.87%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$27.5K PKR 7.6M

-3.62%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$103 PKR 28.5K

-35.79%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$5.54 PKR 1,537

459.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$12.86 PKR 3,565

181.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$20.34 PKR 5,640

182.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$18.36 PKR 5,091

45.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$4.31 PKR 1,195

65.43%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$60.1 PKR 16.7K

659.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$1,292 PKR 358.4K

924.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$15.37 PKR 4,262

393.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$23.46 PKR 6,506

130.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$63.4 PKR 17.6K

83.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$35.29 PKR 9,785

244.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$114 PKR 31.6K

907.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$70.1 PKR 19.4K

935.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$291 PKR 80.8K

758.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$189 PKR 52.5K

602.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$997 PKR 276.3K

290.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$470 PKR 130.4K

356.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$177 PKR 49.2K

502.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

13.12

-13.49%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Karachi: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $114 in Karachi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 502% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Karachi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $100 per month, with Karachi 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 Karachi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Karachi differ by about 273% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $451 including rent). Karachi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 502% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $114 in Karachi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,682 per month in Mexico City versus $451 in Karachi – a 273% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Karachi runs roughly 159% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $451 in Karachi versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karachi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Karachi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Karachi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 273% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.