😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $954 in Pak Kret.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,567 in Pak Kret.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,179 in Pak Kret.
🌍Living in Mexico City is roughly 74% more expensive than in Pak Kret, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Pak Kret is 30% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.92MX$206
$3.06฿102
289.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.6MX$890
$36.20฿1,208
42.54%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.41MX$197
$7.75฿259
47.23%
Cappuccino
$3.99MX$68.9
$2.11฿70.5
89.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66MX$28.61
$0.64฿21.51
159.38%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33MX$22.87
$0.30฿9.85
343.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.47MX$59.9
$2.45฿81.8
41.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.90MX$102
$2.78฿92.9
112.23%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.88MX$32.36
$1.78฿59.6
5.62%
White Bread(500g)
$3.25MX$56.1
$1.52฿50.6
113.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.26
$1.44฿47.98
50.00%
Eggs
$2.90MX$49.94
$2.27฿75.8
27.75%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.86MX$222
$15.62฿521
-17.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.05MX$173
$2.72฿90.9
269.49%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.86MX$273
$10.43฿348
52.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29MX$56.8
$3.52฿117
-6.53%
Banana(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.60
$1.25฿41.78
60.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.20MX$37.93
$1.95฿65.2
12.82%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.36MX$40.63
$2.00฿66.8
18.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.05MX$35.43
$1.27฿42.25
61.42%
Onion(1kg)
$1.90MX$32.79
$1.05฿35.15
80.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.61MX$27.68
$1.09฿36.25
47.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.40MX$24.09
$0.49฿16.40
185.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.46MX$94.2
$4.51฿151
21.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.65MX$304
$15.06฿503
17.20%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06MX$35.44
$1.79฿59.8
15.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.68MX$80.8
$3.03฿101
54.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.34MX$5.84
$0.93฿31.10
-63.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.81MX$359
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.10MX$36.15
$1.07฿35.79
96.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.56MX$9.64
$1.15฿38.49
-51.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.81MX$100
$3.68฿123
57.88%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.61MX$27.68
$1.38฿46.04
16.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8KMX$393.8K
$31.8K฿1.1M
-28.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8KMX$461.2K
$27.4K฿915.0K
-2.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$65.2MX$1,124
$93.3฿3,114
-30.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$30.09MX$519
$11.61฿388
159.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$37.18MX$641
$18.41฿614
101.96%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$59.8MX$1,030
$47.97฿1,601
24.58%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.55MX$458
$14.14฿472
87.77%
Cinema Ticket
$7.04MX$121
$7.65฿255
-7.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$465MX$8,012
$553฿18.4K
-15.90%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3KMX$228.9K
$14.7K฿490.4K
-9.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$75.9MX$1,308
$52.0฿1,734
46.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$56.0MX$965
$29.62฿989
88.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$112MX$1,929
$95.6฿3,192
16.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121MX$2,078
$79.0฿2,637
52.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,103MX$19.0K
$460฿15.4K
139.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$721MX$12.4K
$309฿10.3K
133.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,530MX$43.6K
$1,423฿47.5K
77.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,293MX$22.3K
$765฿25.5K
69.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,991MX$68.8K
$2,002฿66.8K
99.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,090MX$36.0K
$1,586฿53.0K
31.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Pak Kret
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,037MX$17.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.3
5.38
110.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026
Last update for Pak Kret: September 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $460 in Pak Kret. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in Pak Kret for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $244 per month, with Pak Kret 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 Pak Kret: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Pak Kret?
Mexico City and Pak Kret differ by about 74% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $954 including rent). Pak Kret is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Pak Kret?
You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $1,431 in Pak Kret to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Pak Kret?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $460 in Pak Kret. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Pak Kret?
Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $553 in Pak Kret. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Pak Kret – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $954 in Pak Kret versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Pak Kret but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pak Kret the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Pak Kret?
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.
Is Mexico City or Pak Kret safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Pak Kret are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Pak Kret?
Expats usually find Pak Kret gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared