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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $401 in Pakpattan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $585 in Pakpattan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $769 in Pakpattan.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 261% more expensive than Pakpattan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Pakpattan is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.10 PKR 584

518.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$9.00 PKR 2,501

484.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$5.24 PKR 1,456

79.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 PKR 902

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.44 PKR 400

147.92%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.30 PKR 83.8

436.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.18 PKR 51.4

538.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.59 PKR 163

188.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.60 PKR 167

340.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.04 PKR 290

82.69%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.04 PKR 289

144.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.83 PKR 1,343

108.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.58 PKR 719

221.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$3.19 PKR 887

262.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.98 PKR 272

209.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.73 PKR 202

134.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.58 PKR 161

253.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.51 PKR 143

303.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.41 PKR 113

402.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.39 PKR 110

456.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.60 PKR 168

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.38 PKR 106

194.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.80 PKR 501

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 PKR 433

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 PKR 539

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.93 PKR 536

122.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.17 PKR 47.53

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$7.20 PKR 2,001

164.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$1.05 PKR 291

31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.50 PKR 139

-44.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.44 PKR 399

276.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.00 PKR 277

28.00%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-15.78%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.7K PKR 6.0M

7.94%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$104 PKR 29.0K

-60.73%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$4.73 PKR 1,314

469.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$14.00 PKR 3,893

112.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$12.44 PKR 3,457

320.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.91 PKR 1,643

343.82%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.72 PKR 757

127.21%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$35.91 PKR 9,984

1089.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$1,800 PKR 500.3K

494.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$16.78 PKR 4,665

238.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$27.80 PKR 7,728

61.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$69.0 PKR 19.2K

51.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$29.07 PKR 8,082

264.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$76.0 PKR 21.1K

1209.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

1083.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$164 PKR 45.6K

1195.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1063.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$926 PKR 257.3K

321.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$543 PKR 151.0K

285.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$106 PKR 29.4K

947.84%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Pakpattan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $76.0 in Pakpattan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 948% 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 $288 vs $80.0 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 261% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $401 including rent). Pakpattan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 948% 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: $995 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 165% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $35.91 in Pakpattan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $401 in Pakpattan versus $1,447 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 261% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.