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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $511 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $783 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,055 in Lahore.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 228% more expensive than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Lahore is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$2.56 PKR 708

374.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$14.52 PKR 4,022

271.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$5.64 PKR 1,563

96.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.61 PKR 1,001

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 PKR 1,524

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.66 PKR 738

54.14%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.42 PKR 117

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.24 PKR 65.9

479.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$0.91 PKR 252

103.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.68 PKR 188

366.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.22 PKR 338

69.67%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.22 PKR 338

140.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.37 PKR 1,764

97.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$2.51 PKR 696

302.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$4.80 PKR 1,331

235.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.16 PKR 322

192.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$0.65 PKR 181

220.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$0.90 PKR 250

135.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.62 PKR 172

288.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.30 PKR 83.5

610.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.35 PKR 97.8

474.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.46 PKR 128

236.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.36 PKR 100

277.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.06 PKR 295

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 PKR 178

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PKR 478

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.13 PKR 590

170.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.17 PKR 46.22

117.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$5.48 PKR 1,518

286.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$0.92 PKR 256

122.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$0.74 PKR 205

-21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$1.83 PKR 508

231.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$1.28 PKR 354

21.09%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$17.8K PKR 4.9M

28.87%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$26.9K PKR 7.4M

1.38%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$129 PKR 35.6K

-47.57%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$5.08 PKR 1,408

502.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$16.23 PKR 4,496

129.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$21.31 PKR 5,905

188.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$11.03 PKR 3,056

145.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$4.39 PKR 1,217

61.96%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$45.79 PKR 12.7K

896.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$1,968 PKR 545.1K

595.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$17.31 PKR 4,795

328.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$26.36 PKR 7,302

116.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$74.1 PKR 20.5K

55.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$31.11 PKR 8,619

290.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$159 PKR 44.1K

620.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$82.8 PKR 22.9K

756.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$334 PKR 92.7K

670.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$197 PKR 54.7K

556.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$781 PKR 216.3K

413.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$597 PKR 165.3K

256.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$190 PKR 52.7K

468.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

14.28

-20.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Lahore: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $159 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 469% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $96.0 per month, with Lahore 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 Lahore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Lahore differ by about 228% in total monthly costs ($1,677 vs $511 including rent). Lahore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 469% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $159 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 259% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Lahore – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $511 in Lahore versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lahore but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Lahore 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 Lahore gentler on the wallet – expenses run 228% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.