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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $295 in Okara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $438 in Okara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $582 in Okara.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 391% more expensive than Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Okara is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$1.04 PKR 288

1148.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$10.75 PKR 2,989

389.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.11 PKR 1,144

129.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 PKR 805

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 501

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.22 PKR 339

192.62%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.35 PKR 97.9

360.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.23 PKR 64.2

400.00%

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

$0.73 PKR 204

132.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.40 PKR 111

560.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.21 PKR 336

57.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.16 PKR 323

118.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.23 PKR 620

352.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.36 PKR 656

251.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$3.19 PKR 888

262.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.05 PKR 293

188.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.55 PKR 153

210.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.42 PKR 118

388.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.45 PKR 125

357.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.36 PKR 98.8

472.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.52 PKR 146

317.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.43 PKR 119

225.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.29 PKR 80.8

286.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.92 PKR 257

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 PKR 255

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.53 PKR 425

180.39%

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

$0.12 PKR 33.14

216.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$2.85 PKR 793

568.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.69 PKR 192

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.53 PKR 146

-47.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.73 PKR 481

213.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.91 PKR 253

40.66%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

7.09%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$23.5K PKR 6.5M

-0.11%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$90.2 PKR 25.1K

-54.50%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$3.10 PKR 861

768.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$10.65 PKR 2,961

178.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$12.63 PKR 3,511

314.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$6.05 PKR 1,682

333.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$4.30 PKR 1,195

43.72%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$14.01 PKR 3,896

2948.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,239 PKR 344.6K

763.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$15.26 PKR 4,243

272.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$20.82 PKR 5,788

115.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$31.73 PKR 8,821

229.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$30.48 PKR 8,474

247.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$28.65 PKR 7,966

3371.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$17.41 PKR 4,839

3467.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$41.87 PKR 11.6K

4977.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$32.08 PKR 8,919

3807.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$1,004 PKR 279.2K

288.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$515 PKR 143.3K

306.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$145 PKR 40.3K

664.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

19.88

-42.96%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Okara: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $28.65 in Okara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 664% 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 $11.00 in Okara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $69.0 per month, with Okara 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 Okara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Okara differ by about 391% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $295 including rent). Okara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 664% 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 $28.65 in Okara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Okara runs roughly 569% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $14.01 in Okara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $295 in Okara versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Okara but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Okara 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 Okara gentler on the wallet – expenses run 391% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.