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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $492 in Lahore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $746 in Lahore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,001 in Lahore.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 198% more expensive than Lahore, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Lahore is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.09 PKR 582

530.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$14.24 PKR 3,961

278.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.27 PKR 1,189

120.61%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.78 PKR 774

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 PKR 1,007

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.34 PKR 651

51.71%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.36 PKR 99.3

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.23 PKR 64.0

382.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.89 PKR 247

91.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.57 PKR 157

377.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.17 PKR 324

63.25%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.20 PKR 335

111.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.11 PKR 1,700

64.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.05 PKR 849

165.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$4.44 PKR 1,234

161.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.02 PKR 283

191.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$0.60 PKR 166

201.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.60 PKR 168

235.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.48 PKR 133

322.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.32 PKR 90.2

562.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.48 PKR 133

372.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.44 PKR 123

218.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.38 PKR 106

197.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 PKR 258

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 PKR 152

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 PKR 309

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.99 PKR 555

114.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.19 PKR 52.7

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$6.98 PKR 1,941

174.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.70 PKR 194

97.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$0.49 PKR 138

-42.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$1.78 PKR 496

206.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.91 PKR 253

42.86%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

7.64%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$23.8K PKR 6.6M

-2.71%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$138 PKR 38.3K

-70.32%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$5.59 PKR 1,554

379.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$17.01 PKR 4,733

76.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$13.75 PKR 3,824

278.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$5.73 PKR 1,595

368.41%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.34 PKR 1,206

45.16%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$35.47 PKR 9,868

1129.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$1,238 PKR 344.3K

741.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$14.98 PKR 4,168

278.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$22.69 PKR 6,311

95.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$72.6 PKR 20.2K

41.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$29.85 PKR 8,304

253.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$118 PKR 32.9K

764.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$76.7 PKR 21.3K

722.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$286 PKR 79.6K

646.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$188 PKR 52.2K

562.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$843 PKR 234.4K

363.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$615 PKR 171.2K

235.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$184 PKR 51.3K

504.53%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Lahore: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $118 in Lahore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 505% 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 $288 vs $93.0 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 198% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $492 including rent). Lahore is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 505% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $118 in Lahore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 211% 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 $492 in Lahore versus $1,467 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 198% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.