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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $431 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $665 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $899 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 242% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Rawalpindi is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$1.79 PKR 497

634.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$14.27 PKR 3,959

275.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$5.26 PKR 1,460

77.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.66 PKR 460

122.89%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.34 PKR 95.5

370.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.21 PKR 58.0

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$0.79 PKR 219

108.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.56 PKR 156

383.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.30 PKR 361

46.92%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.14 PKR 316

127.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$5.98 PKR 1,660

64.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$3.26 PKR 906

158.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$4.47 PKR 1,240

166.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.02 PKR 283

189.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.63 PKR 175

176.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.84 PKR 233

142.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.50 PKR 139

312.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.37 PKR 102

481.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.52 PKR 144

334.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.26 PKR 72.8

434.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.40 PKR 110

180.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.92 PKR 533

119.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.20 PKR 56.6

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$9.59 PKR 2,663

101.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$0.85 PKR 235

62.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.32 PKR 90.0

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$3.09 PKR 858

70.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.95 PKR 264

43.16%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

9.12%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

3.09%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$101 PKR 28.0K

-59.77%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$3.96 PKR 1,100

591.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$16.35 PKR 4,537

85.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$9.86 PKR 2,736

429.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$7.42 PKR 2,060

256.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.57 PKR 990

73.39%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

937.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$963 PKR 267.2K

1015.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$11.74 PKR 3,258

396.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$18.96 PKR 5,263

135.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

15.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$29.12 PKR 8,081

273.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$133 PKR 36.9K

661.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

836.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$334 PKR 92.8K

533.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$173 PKR 48.1K

605.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

234.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$510 PKR 141.6K

313.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$176 PKR 48.7K

499.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

20.17

-43.78%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 499% 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $94.0 per month, with Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Rawalpindi differ by about 242% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $431 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 499% 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 $133 in Rawalpindi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rawalpindi runs roughly 101% 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 $40.97 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $431 in Rawalpindi versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.