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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $287 in Muzaffarabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $489 in Muzaffarabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $690 in Muzaffarabad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 411% more expensive than Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Muzaffarabad is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$1.37 PKR 382

862.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$14.42 PKR 4,011

273.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$2.15 PKR 598

338.14%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 PKR 382

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 PKR 977

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$1.03 PKR 286

244.66%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.32 PKR 88.8

406.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.21 PKR 58.4

428.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$0.80 PKR 221

112.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.56 PKR 157

385.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.25 PKR 349

52.80%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.16 PKR 323

118.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$5.95 PKR 1,654

68.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.66 PKR 740

204.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$2.94 PKR 817

295.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.00 PKR 279

197.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$0.63 PKR 176

187.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.54 PKR 151

272.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.47 PKR 131

331.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.36 PKR 101

488.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.43 PKR 120

427.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.26 PKR 72.6

438.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.36 PKR 101

213.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.38 PKR 384

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 285

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 PKR 645

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.43 PKR 398

198.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.37 PKR 102

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$7.00 PKR 1,947

174.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$0.85 PKR 236

62.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.35 PKR 98.7

-20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$2.69 PKR 748

102.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.95 PKR 265

36.84%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$17.4K PKR 4.8M

7.29%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

1.85%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$53.9 PKR 15.0K

-24.16%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$4.00 PKR 1,114

570.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$11.28 PKR 3,138

165.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$7.11 PKR 1,978

631.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$5.37 PKR 1,493

399.81%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$3.47 PKR 965

81.56%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$24.39 PKR 6,786

1688.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$934 PKR 259.9K

1015.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$5.27 PKR 1,466

974.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$9.03 PKR 2,513

391.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$87.0 PKR 24.2K

18.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$10.45 PKR 2,907

909.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$59.0 PKR 16.4K

1632.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$27.15 PKR 7,553

2223.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$143 PKR 39.7K

1396.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$110 PKR 30.7K

1027.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,020 PKR 283.7K

282.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$441 PKR 122.6K

368.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$291 PKR 80.9K

283.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-40.32%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $59.0 in Muzaffarabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 283% 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 Muzaffarabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $84.0 per month, with Muzaffarabad 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 Muzaffarabad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Muzaffarabad differ by about 411% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $287 including rent). Muzaffarabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 283% 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 $59.0 in Muzaffarabad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Muzaffarabad runs roughly 174% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $24.39 in Muzaffarabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $287 in Muzaffarabad versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Muzaffarabad but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Muzaffarabad 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 Muzaffarabad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 411% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.