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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $641 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $848 in Mardan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 242% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Mardan is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.18 PKR 607

495.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$14.39 PKR 4,012

268.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.35 PKR 1,491

81.68%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 PKR 488

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 PKR 1,097

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.06 PKR 574

82.04%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.29 PKR 79.8

441.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.22 PKR 61.0

413.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.78 PKR 216

107.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.65 PKR 182

316.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.84 PKR 233

123.81%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.16 PKR 322

116.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.03 PKR 1,680

67.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.39 PKR 666

246.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.10 PKR 866

285.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.74 PKR 205

286.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.55 PKR 152

218.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.95 PKR 266

118.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.30 PKR 84.8

556.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.24 PKR 66.8

800.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.37 PKR 102

489.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.31 PKR 86.1

348.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.15 PKR 41.17

646.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.98 PKR 552

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 243

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 PKR 554

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.37 PKR 383

206.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.18 PKR 49.01

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$7.04 PKR 1,964

165.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.36 PKR 102

286.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.34 PKR 96.0

-11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.81 PKR 506

199.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.97 PKR 271

39.18%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.8K PKR 5.8M

-9.32%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

-11.75%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$114 PKR 31.8K

-64.24%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$5.37 PKR 1,497

412.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$18.43 PKR 5,137

64.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$12.43 PKR 3,464

329.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$5.91 PKR 1,647

345.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$4.18 PKR 1,165

50.00%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$17.36 PKR 4,839

2412.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,128 PKR 314.4K

828.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$21.42 PKR 5,970

164.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$27.91 PKR 7,781

60.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$89.5 PKR 25.0K

14.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$17.55 PKR 4,893

514.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$75.8 PKR 21.1K

1219.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$51.6 PKR 14.4K

1101.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$164 PKR 45.8K

1200.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$108 PKR 30.1K

1043.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$270 PKR 75.2K

295.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.2

-43.86%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mardan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $75.8 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 296% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $14.00 in Mardan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $78.0 per month, with Mardan 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 Mardan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mardan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 242% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 296% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $75.8 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $17.36 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 265% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mardan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mardan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mardan 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.

Expats usually find Mardan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.