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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $406 in Muzaffarabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $621 in Muzaffarabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $836 in Muzaffarabad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 306% more expensive than in Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Muzaffarabad is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$1.41 PKR 392

758.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$16.39 PKR 4,547

218.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$2.18 PKR 604

400.00%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 PKR 411

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 947

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$1.05 PKR 291

285.71%

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

$1.72 MX$29.00

$0.44 PKR 121

290.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.29

$0.25 PKR 69.6

452.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.33

$0.84 PKR 234

120.24%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.59 PKR 163

445.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.25

$1.02 PKR 282

104.90%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.18

$0.88 PKR 243

230.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.34 PKR 1,760

97.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.55 PKR 708

296.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$3.17 PKR 879

401.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.11 PKR 308

198.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.95

$0.81 PKR 226

162.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.03

$0.37 PKR 103

491.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.37

$0.35 PKR 95.9

600.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.00

$0.35 PKR 96.9

525.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.20

$0.30 PKR 83.6

533.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$0.33 PKR 91.7

390.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.82

$0.34 PKR 95.3

297.06%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.78 PKR 495

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 PKR 321

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$0.93 PKR 258

483.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.75

$0.19 PKR 52.3

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$9.56 PKR 2,653

125.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.49

$0.93 PKR 258

119.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.37 PKR 103

56.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.58 PKR 439

277.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.31

$1.00 PKR 277

62.00%

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

$22.8K MX$385.6K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

27.10%

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

$26.7K MX$450.7K

$24.3K PKR 6.7M

9.87%

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

$65.2 MX$1,103

$115 PKR 31.9K

-43.28%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$5.55 PKR 1,541

438.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$8.86 PKR 2,459

312.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$14.47 PKR 4,015

321.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.26 PKR 1,182

60.80%

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

$453 MX$7,664

$49.51 PKR 13.7K

815.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$839 PKR 232.6K

1494.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$5.52 PKR 1,532

1258.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$935

$9.14 PKR 2,535

504.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$90.3 PKR 25.0K

25.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$10.71 PKR 2,970

1045.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$126 PKR 34.8K

802.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$77.0 PKR 21.4K

824.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.5K

$249 PKR 69.1K

931.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$151 PKR 41.8K

770.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$945 PKR 262.2K

322.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$527 PKR 146.2K

297.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$294 PKR 81.6K

255.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-24.67%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $126 in Muzaffarabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 256% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $16.00 in Muzaffarabad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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 306% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $406 including rent). Muzaffarabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 256% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $126 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 126% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $49.51 in Muzaffarabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $406 in Muzaffarabad versus $1,646 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 306% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.