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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $346 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $537 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $728 in Quetta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 325% more expensive than in 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

$13.14 MX$228

$3.52 PKR 977

273.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$928

$10.63 PKR 2,950

403.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$162

$4.38 PKR 1,216

113.01%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 PKR 431

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.1

$1.70 PKR 471

117.65%

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

$1.60 MX$27.80

$0.42 PKR 117

280.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.37

$0.20 PKR 55.4

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.65

$0.74 PKR 206

122.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.03

$0.46 PKR 128

489.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.08

$1.03 PKR 285

85.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.88

$1.12 PKR 310

131.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$5.92 PKR 1,644

65.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.58 PKR 716

226.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$207

$4.12 PKR 1,143

189.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.2

$1.04 PKR 289

183.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.15

$0.55 PKR 154

216.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.43

$0.57 PKR 157

257.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.70

$0.48 PKR 133

329.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.25

$0.31 PKR 87.2

593.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.08

$0.48 PKR 132

370.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.01

$0.35 PKR 98.5

297.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.32 PKR 90.1

250.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 402

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 581

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.1

$0.69 PKR 192

511.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.11

$0.16 PKR 43.93

118.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$335

$5.23 PKR 1,453

269.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$0.36 PKR 101

283.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.62 PKR 171

-54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.4

$1.73 PKR 481

205.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.53

$0.97 PKR 268

40.21%

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

$19.1K MX$331.0K

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

-11.32%

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

$23.6K MX$409.1K

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

94.40%

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

$40.53 MX$702

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

-22.92%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$6.41 PKR 1,778

327.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$527

$14.32 PKR 3,975

112.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$905

$4.96 PKR 1,378

952.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$459

$5.76 PKR 1,600

359.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$2.90 PKR 805

113.45%

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

$425 MX$7,366

$34.09 PKR 9,461

1146.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$186.0K

$417 PKR 115.7K

2475.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,010

$6.98 PKR 1,937

735.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$772

$7.24 PKR 2,010

515.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$29.59 PKR 8,213

267.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.6K

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

1352.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

1163.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$159 PKR 44.1K

1234.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

1168.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.7K

$376 PKR 104.2K

909.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.6K

$214 PKR 59.3K

887.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$271 PKR 75.3K

288.02%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $69.8 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 288% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Quetta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 325% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $346 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 288% 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $69.8 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 269% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $34.09 in Quetta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $346 in Quetta versus $1,472 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 325% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.