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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $420 in Quetta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $617 in Quetta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $814 in Quetta.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 295% more expensive than in Quetta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Quetta is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.70 PKR 1,026

222.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$10.78 PKR 2,987

378.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$4.53 PKR 1,255

151.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,460

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.59 PKR 442

150.94%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.39 PKR 107

325.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.20 PKR 54.4

565.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.69 PKR 192

172.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.56 PKR 155

480.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.23 PKR 341

75.61%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.22 PKR 337

137.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$4.93 PKR 1,366

160.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$2.83 PKR 785

255.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.12 PKR 1,419

209.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$0.93 PKR 258

253.76%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.57 PKR 159

252.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.69 PKR 190

218.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.55 PKR 153

329.09%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.30 PKR 82.0

583.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.56 PKR 156

239.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.43 PKR 118

274.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.39 PKR 108

258.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PKR 788

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$2.09 PKR 579

161.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.13 PKR 36.35

161.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$10.27 PKR 2,845

102.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.04 PKR 288

101.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.43 PKR 120

30.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$1.78 PKR 493

226.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.07 PKR 296

50.47%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

-4.97%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

10.37%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$103 PKR 28.5K

-36.67%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$8.11 PKR 2,246

271.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$16.41 PKR 4,547

126.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$5.78 PKR 1,602

933.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$3.33 PKR 923

111.41%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$34.78 PKR 9,635

1236.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$995 PKR 275.5K

1234.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$8.08 PKR 2,237

839.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$22.81 PKR 6,318

145.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$70.8 PKR 19.6K

58.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$34.10 PKR 9,446

253.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

1444.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$49.66 PKR 13.8K

1351.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$165 PKR 45.8K

1429.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$99.5 PKR 27.6K

1199.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$376 PKR 104.3K

960.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$219 PKR 60.6K

855.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$274 PKR 75.9K

278.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

12.88

-12.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Quetta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $71.4 in Quetta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 279% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Quetta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $89.0 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 295% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $420 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 279% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $71.4 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 103% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $34.78 in Quetta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $420 in Quetta versus $1,660 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 295% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.