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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $352 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $550 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $748 in Quetta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 312% more expensive than Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Quetta is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.45 PKR 960

276.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$10.69 PKR 2,972

392.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$4.40 PKR 1,223

114.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 PKR 435

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.62 PKR 449

120.37%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.42 PKR 118

283.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.22 PKR 61.2

422.73%

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

$0.74 PKR 207

129.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.46 PKR 129

473.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.07 PKR 298

77.57%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.08 PKR 299

135.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.94 PKR 1,652

69.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.49 PKR 691

232.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$4.24 PKR 1,178

172.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.07 PKR 298

183.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.56 PKR 155

205.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.57 PKR 158

259.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.52 PKR 145

296.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.29 PKR 80.6

610.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.50 PKR 139

334.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.35 PKR 98.2

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.30 PKR 83.3

273.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.42 PKR 395

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 PKR 598

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$0.72 PKR 201

495.83%

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

$0.18 PKR 49.40

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$5.36 PKR 1,491

255.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.33 PKR 92.5

318.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.65 PKR 180

-56.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.72 PKR 479

215.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.96 PKR 266

33.33%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$21.6K PKR 6.0M

-12.07%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$12.3K PKR 3.4M

91.34%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

-21.96%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$6.38 PKR 1,774

321.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$13.98 PKR 3,887

112.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$5.09 PKR 1,415

928.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.81 PKR 1,614

351.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.89 PKR 804

113.84%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$35.09 PKR 9,756

1117.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$424 PKR 117.8K

2425.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$7.22 PKR 2,006

686.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$6.98 PKR 1,941

542.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

16.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$29.19 PKR 8,116

262.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$69.9 PKR 19.4K

1323.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$50.4 PKR 14.0K

1131.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$157 PKR 43.7K

1252.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$95.5 PKR 26.6K

1212.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$381 PKR 106.0K

924.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$220 PKR 61.3K

850.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$213 PKR 59.3K

419.54%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Quetta: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $69.9 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 420% 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 $11.00 in Quetta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 312% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $352 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 420% 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 $69.9 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 256% 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 $35.09 in Quetta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $352 in Quetta versus $1,447 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 312% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.