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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $498 in Okara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $718 in Okara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $939 in Okara.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 234% more expensive than in Okara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Okara is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.52 PKR 698

373.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$14.23 PKR 3,942

262.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.56 PKR 1,539

105.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 PKR 978

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 PKR 1,508

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.58 PKR 715

54.65%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.39 PKR 108

325.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.26 PKR 72.6

411.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.62 PKR 172

203.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.67 PKR 186

385.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.16 PKR 323

86.21%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.18 PKR 326

145.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.32 PKR 1,751

103.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.53 PKR 702

297.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$4.95 PKR 1,371

220.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.22 PKR 339

169.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.68 PKR 189

195.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.86 PKR 239

155.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.65 PKR 181

263.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.30 PKR 83.8

583.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.33 PKR 91.0

475.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.50 PKR 138

222.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.37 PKR 102

278.38%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.05 PKR 291

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 PKR 180

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 PKR 479

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.14 PKR 592

155.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.19 PKR 52.9

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$10.14 PKR 2,809

105.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.89 PKR 245

135.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.73 PKR 203

-23.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.77 PKR 491

228.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.93 PKR 256

73.12%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$17.7K PKR 4.9M

28.88%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$26.2K PKR 7.3M

2.22%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$130 PKR 36.1K

-49.92%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$5.34 PKR 1,480

463.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$16.58 PKR 4,594

124.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$6.17 PKR 1,708

868.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.25 PKR 1,176

65.65%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$14.66 PKR 4,061

3069.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$1,987 PKR 550.4K

568.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$17.30 PKR 4,791

338.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$26.97 PKR 7,470

107.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$75.6 PKR 20.9K

48.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$31.95 PKR 8,851

277.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$127 PKR 35.2K

766.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$78.1 PKR 21.6K

822.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$271 PKR 75.0K

834.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$130 PKR 36.0K

895.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$806 PKR 223.3K

395.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$489 PKR 135.3K

327.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$142 PKR 39.4K

628.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

14.28

-20.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Okara: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $127 in Okara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 629% 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 $14.00 in Okara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $94.0 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 234% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $498 including rent). Okara is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 629% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $127 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 105% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $14.66 in Okara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $498 in Okara versus $1,660 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 234% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.