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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $450 in Pakpattan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $625 in Pakpattan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $800 in Pakpattan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 269% more expensive than in Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Pakpattan is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$205

$1.24 PKR 344

861.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$889

$10.86 PKR 3,007

375.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.38 PKR 1,490

112.08%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 PKR 729

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.18 PKR 1,434

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.8

$1.80 PKR 498

121.67%

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

$1.66 MX$28.57

$0.20 PKR 54.6

730.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.84

$0.10 PKR 28.52

1230.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.31

$0.63 PKR 174

198.41%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.0

$0.51 PKR 140

537.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.21

$0.92 PKR 254

134.78%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.87

$1.11 PKR 306

161.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$221

$7.28 PKR 2,015

76.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.38 PKR 658

322.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$3.63 PKR 1,006

336.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.7

$0.89 PKR 247

269.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.55

$0.49 PKR 136

310.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.28 PKR 76.6

685.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.57

$0.55 PKR 153

329.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.38

$0.39 PKR 108

425.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.75

$0.43 PKR 120

341.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.64

$0.50 PKR 138

222.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.05

$0.34 PKR 95.4

311.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 PKR 500

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 PKR 265

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 PKR 818

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.1

$2.14 PKR 593

155.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.83

$0.19 PKR 51.4

78.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$358

$11.32 PKR 3,135

83.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.11

$1.41 PKR 391

48.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.63

$0.38 PKR 104

47.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$0.89 PKR 246

552.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.03 PKR 284

56.31%

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

$22.8K MX$393.3K

$25.2K PKR 7.0M

-9.35%

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

$26.8K MX$460.6K

$26.7K PKR 7.4M

0.23%

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

$65.2 MX$1,122

$146 PKR 40.5K

-55.42%

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

$30.09 MX$518

$4.84 PKR 1,340

521.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$640

$19.03 PKR 5,271

95.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,029

$15.25 PKR 4,225

291.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$457

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.42 PKR 1,225

59.28%

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

$465 MX$8,001

$12.57 PKR 3,481

3596.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.6K

$1,028 PKR 284.7K

1191.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,307

$10.90 PKR 3,020

596.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$963

$12.47 PKR 3,453

348.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,926

$25.04 PKR 6,936

346.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,075

$14.39 PKR 3,986

737.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$112 PKR 31.0K

886.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$78.2 PKR 21.7K

821.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$254 PKR 70.4K

895.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$150 PKR 41.6K

761.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.7K

$857 PKR 237.4K

365.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$471 PKR 130.5K

343.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$109 PKR 30.1K

853.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

-13.08%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $112 in Pakpattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 854% 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 $11.00 in Pakpattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $83.0 per month, with Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Pakpattan differ by about 269% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $450 including rent). Pakpattan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 854% 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 $112 in Pakpattan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Pakpattan runs roughly 84% 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 $12.57 in Pakpattan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $450 in Pakpattan versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pakpattan but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Pakpattan 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 Pakpattan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 269% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.