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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $298 in Okara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $443 in Okara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $588 in Okara.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 394% more expensive than in Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Okara is 78% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.07 PKR 297

1128.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$10.75 PKR 2,983

397.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$4.28 PKR 1,188

117.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 PKR 799

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 PKR 504

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.20 PKR 332

208.33%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.35 PKR 98.5

357.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.23 PKR 63.8

386.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.72 PKR 200

129.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.44 PKR 121

515.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.16 PKR 323

64.66%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.20 PKR 333

115.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$2.19 PKR 608

347.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.26 PKR 626

273.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$3.25 PKR 903

267.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.05 PKR 293

180.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.51 PKR 140

241.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.40 PKR 110

410.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.48 PKR 133

329.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.35 PKR 98.5

514.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.48 PKR 133

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.43 PKR 119

223.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.29 PKR 81.3

286.21%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.06 PKR 296

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 PKR 92.8

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 PKR 238

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.47 PKR 408

187.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.10 PKR 26.64

250.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$2.78 PKR 770

594.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.74 PKR 205

86.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.50 PKR 138

-44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$1.81 PKR 503

191.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.87 PKR 243

56.32%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

9.10%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$23.7K PKR 6.6M

-0.58%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$87.0 PKR 24.1K

-53.40%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$3.11 PKR 863

780.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$10.68 PKR 2,963

184.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$12.61 PKR 3,499

314.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$5.91 PKR 1,639

348.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$4.31 PKR 1,197

43.62%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$14.36 PKR 3,986

2860.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$1,236 PKR 343.1K

768.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$14.92 PKR 4,140

290.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$21.12 PKR 5,861

111.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$31.97 PKR 8,871

223.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$29.57 PKR 8,206

267.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$28.58 PKR 7,932

3447.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$17.73 PKR 4,919

3412.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$43.20 PKR 12.0K

4806.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$32.13 PKR 8,918

3707.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,002 PKR 278.0K

278.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$520 PKR 144.3K

305.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$146 PKR 40.4K

622.04%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Okara: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $28.58 in Okara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 622% 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 $11.00 in Okara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $68.0 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 394% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $298 including rent). Okara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 622% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $28.58 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 595% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $14.36 in Okara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $298 in Okara versus $1,472 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 394% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.