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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $348 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $548 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $747 in Quetta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 326% more expensive than Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Quetta is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$3.45 PKR 962

276.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$10.48 PKR 2,922

406.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$4.53 PKR 1,264

114.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 PKR 433

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.66 PKR 463

125.90%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.46 PKR 128

241.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.20 PKR 55.7

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

$0.68 PKR 190

138.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.44 PKR 122

515.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.03 PKR 288

82.52%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.13 PKR 314

122.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.18 PKR 1,723

63.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.59 PKR 721

220.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$4.21 PKR 1,174

183.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.03 PKR 287

177.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.52 PKR 146

236.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.56 PKR 156

271.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.51 PKR 143

286.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.31 PKR 87.0

596.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.50 PKR 140

336.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.35 PKR 98.1

297.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.32 PKR 90.4

250.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 403

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 94.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 PKR 585

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$0.69 PKR 193

508.70%

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

$0.18 PKR 50.3

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$5.42 PKR 1,512

244.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.37 PKR 102

275.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.65 PKR 182

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.82 PKR 507

197.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.96 PKR 268

40.63%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$21.1K PKR 5.9M

-10.63%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$12.4K PKR 3.5M

86.08%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$53.8 PKR 15.0K

-24.15%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$6.39 PKR 1,781

330.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$14.35 PKR 4,001

111.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$4.99 PKR 1,390

970.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$6.00 PKR 1,673

338.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$2.80 PKR 780

123.93%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$34.87 PKR 9,721

1150.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$426 PKR 118.6K

2359.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$7.22 PKR 2,013

686.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$7.20 PKR 2,007

522.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$87.5 PKR 24.4K

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$29.40 PKR 8,196

267.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$71.0 PKR 19.8K

1307.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$48.89 PKR 13.6K

1168.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$160 PKR 44.5K

1239.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$98.4 PKR 27.4K

1155.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$384 PKR 107.0K

907.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$221 PKR 61.6K

954.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$216 PKR 60.2K

394.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-5.50%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Quetta: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $71.0 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 394% 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 $10.00 in Quetta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $84.0 per month, with Quetta 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 Quetta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Quetta differ by about 326% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $348 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 394% 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 $71.0 in Quetta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Quetta runs roughly 244% 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 $34.87 in Quetta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $348 in Quetta versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quetta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Quetta 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 Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 326% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.