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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $395 in Pakpattan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $582 in Pakpattan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $770 in Pakpattan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 276% more expensive than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Pakpattan is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.14 PKR 596

506.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$8.87 PKR 2,472

498.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.18 PKR 1,445

87.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 PKR 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 PKR 896

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.38 PKR 385

171.74%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.30 PKR 84.8

423.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.20 PKR 56.7

465.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.60 PKR 166

170.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.56 PKR 156

383.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.04 PKR 290

80.77%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.04 PKR 289

141.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.80 PKR 1,338

110.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.53 PKR 705

227.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.15 PKR 878

279.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.01 PKR 282

183.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.67 PKR 187

161.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.58 PKR 163

258.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.52 PKR 145

278.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.41 PKR 114

426.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.39 PKR 110

458.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.60 PKR 168

131.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.35 PKR 98.7

220.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.74 PKR 205

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 PKR 448

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 PKR 533

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.92 PKR 536

118.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.16 PKR 43.77

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$6.91 PKR 1,927

170.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.05 PKR 292

32.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.53 PKR 148

-43.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.40 PKR 389

287.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.93 PKR 258

45.16%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$21.9K PKR 6.1M

-13.87%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$21.8K PKR 6.1M

6.39%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$102 PKR 28.5K

-60.00%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$4.81 PKR 1,342

471.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$13.66 PKR 3,808

122.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$12.27 PKR 3,420

335.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$5.91 PKR 1,647

345.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$2.57 PKR 717

143.97%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$36.35 PKR 10.1K

1099.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,741 PKR 485.3K

501.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$16.73 PKR 4,663

239.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$27.65 PKR 7,709

61.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$70.6 PKR 19.7K

45.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$29.08 PKR 8,107

271.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$76.0 PKR 21.2K

1214.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$52.8 PKR 14.7K

1074.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$170 PKR 47.4K

1155.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$106 PKR 29.7K

1061.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$798 PKR 222.5K

384.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$584 PKR 162.7K

299.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$106 PKR 29.7K

902.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

17.43

-34.94%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $76.0 in Pakpattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 902% 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 $9.00 in Pakpattan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $79.0 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 276% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $395 including rent). Pakpattan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 902% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $76.0 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 170% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $36.35 in Pakpattan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $395 in Pakpattan versus $1,484 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 276% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.