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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $484 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $727 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $970 in Lahore.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 201% more expensive than in Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Lahore is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.09 PKR 580

525.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$14.06 PKR 3,903

282.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.35 PKR 1,207

122.53%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 PKR 765

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 PKR 1,018

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.39 PKR 663

56.49%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.36 PKR 98.7

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.21 PKR 58.3

452.38%

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

$0.94 PKR 260

75.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.57 PKR 158

382.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.21 PKR 337

54.55%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.21 PKR 337

106.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.18 PKR 1,717

65.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$3.02 PKR 839

173.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$4.55 PKR 1,263

159.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$1.06 PKR 293

183.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.63 PKR 175

187.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.61 PKR 169

227.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.47 PKR 131

325.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.36 PKR 98.8

477.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.48 PKR 132

372.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.47 PKR 131

210.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.35 PKR 98.3

208.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.11 PKR 308

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 PKR 143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 PKR 306

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$1.97 PKR 546

120.81%

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

$0.18 PKR 51.2

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$6.92 PKR 1,922

170.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.73 PKR 202

82.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.49 PKR 137

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$1.80 PKR 501

191.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.96 PKR 266

39.58%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

11.02%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$23.4K PKR 6.5M

1.69%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$141 PKR 39.2K

-71.18%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$5.31 PKR 1,473

406.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$17.33 PKR 4,811

76.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$13.73 PKR 3,813

284.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$5.94 PKR 1,649

348.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.29 PKR 1,191

51.75%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$34.60 PKR 9,608

1137.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$1,253 PKR 347.9K

738.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$15.40 PKR 4,276

271.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$23.27 PKR 6,462

95.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$71.8 PKR 19.9K

44.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$30.56 PKR 8,486

252.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$120 PKR 33.3K

736.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$75.9 PKR 21.1K

720.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$291 PKR 80.9K

624.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$188 PKR 52.2K

547.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$844 PKR 234.5K

360.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$590 PKR 163.7K

244.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$185 PKR 51.5K

460.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

19.88

-42.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Lahore: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $120 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 460% 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 $14.00 in Lahore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $94.0 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 201% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $484 including rent). Lahore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 460% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $120 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 210% 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 $14.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $484 in Lahore versus $1,456 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 201% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.