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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $433 in Mardan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $639 in Mardan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $844 in Mardan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 234% more expensive than Mardan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Mardan is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.13 PKR 593

509.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$14.42 PKR 4,010

264.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.18 PKR 1,441

82.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 PKR 497

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 PKR 1,074

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.00 PKR 556

78.50%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.31 PKR 86.2

419.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.22 PKR 60.9

422.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.81 PKR 224

109.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.66 PKR 185

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.85 PKR 235

123.53%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.15 PKR 320

120.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.23 PKR 1,733

61.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.38 PKR 661

248.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$3.26 PKR 907

254.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.69 PKR 192

339.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.55 PKR 154

210.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.94 PKR 263

118.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.33 PKR 92.2

524.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.24 PKR 66.1

758.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.33 PKR 92.9

557.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.33 PKR 91.8

324.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.12 PKR 34.05

833.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.46 PKR 405

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 PKR 544

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.38 PKR 384

210.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.16 PKR 45.73

137.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$7.25 PKR 2,016

162.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.37 PKR 102

272.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.37 PKR 103

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.75 PKR 487

209.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.95 PKR 265

34.74%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$21.0K PKR 5.8M

-9.54%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$26.1K PKR 7.3M

-10.16%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$112 PKR 31.2K

-63.40%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$5.62 PKR 1,562

379.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$18.99 PKR 5,280

56.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$12.30 PKR 3,420

325.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.78 PKR 1,607

353.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.13 PKR 1,147

49.64%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$17.76 PKR 4,937

2304.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,095 PKR 304.3K

877.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$21.73 PKR 6,043

161.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$28.38 PKR 7,891

57.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$87.3 PKR 24.3K

19.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$17.89 PKR 4,973

492.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

1246.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

1082.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$164 PKR 45.5K

1198.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$108 PKR 29.9K

1065.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$774 PKR 215.2K

404.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$424 PKR 118.0K

393.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$268 PKR 74.4K

313.85%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mardan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $73.9 in Mardan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 314% 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 $288 vs $79.0 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 234% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 314% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $73.9 in Mardan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $17.76 in Mardan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 262% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $433 in Mardan versus $1,447 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 234% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.