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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $286 in Muzaffarabad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $492 in Muzaffarabad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $698 in Muzaffarabad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 410% more expensive than in Muzaffarabad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Muzaffarabad is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$1.43 PKR 398

813.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$14.04 PKR 3,898

282.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$2.11 PKR 585

358.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.39 PKR 385

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 PKR 970

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.07 PKR 298

249.53%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.32 PKR 88.8

406.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.21 PKR 58.1

452.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.84 PKR 233

96.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.52 PKR 145

428.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.26 PKR 349

48.41%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.16 PKR 323

115.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$6.10 PKR 1,695

67.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$2.66 PKR 739

210.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$2.92 PKR 811

304.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.93 PKR 259

223.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.65 PKR 180

178.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.52 PKR 143

284.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.46 PKR 128

334.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.34 PKR 94.1

511.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.44 PKR 122

415.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.24 PKR 66.5

508.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.36 PKR 101

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.40 PKR 390

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 276

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 655

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.38 PKR 382

215.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.37 PKR 102

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$7.14 PKR 1,983

161.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$0.84 PKR 233

58.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$0.33 PKR 90.9

-15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$2.59 PKR 718

102.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.95 PKR 265

41.05%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

8.34%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

5.71%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$53.6 PKR 14.9K

-24.04%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$4.02 PKR 1,117

568.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$11.70 PKR 3,249

160.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$7.19 PKR 1,997

634.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$5.34 PKR 1,482

399.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$3.64 PKR 1,010

78.85%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$25.13 PKR 6,978

1603.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$934 PKR 259.3K

1024.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$5.29 PKR 1,469

982.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$8.78 PKR 2,439

418.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$87.8 PKR 24.4K

18.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$10.62 PKR 2,950

915.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$59.2 PKR 16.4K

1595.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$27.33 PKR 7,588

2178.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$143 PKR 39.7K

1373.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$111 PKR 30.9K

993.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$821 PKR 228.1K

372.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$516 PKR 143.4K

293.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$290 PKR 80.6K

257.69%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Muzaffarabad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $59.2 in Muzaffarabad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 258% 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 $292 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 410% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $286 including rent). Muzaffarabad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 258% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $59.2 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 162% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $25.13 in Muzaffarabad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $286 in Muzaffarabad versus $1,456 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 410% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.