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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $423 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $670 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $917 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 251% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$227

$1.75 PKR 487

641.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$14.30 PKR 3,985

271.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$5.38 PKR 1,501

80.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 PKR 454

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 985

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.71 PKR 477

119.30%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.31 PKR 87.8

406.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.21 PKR 58.3

438.10%

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

$0.85 PKR 238

90.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.52 PKR 144

421.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.29 PKR 360

45.74%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.18 PKR 329

112.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.18 PKR 1,724

63.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.44 PKR 959

140.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$4.46 PKR 1,244

167.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.00 PKR 280

186.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.64 PKR 177

173.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.86 PKR 239

141.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.48 PKR 134

310.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.36 PKR 101

500.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.49 PKR 136

344.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.24 PKR 66.3

479.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.36 PKR 101

211.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.92 PKR 4,437

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 277

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.94 PKR 541

116.49%

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 50.8

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$9.95 PKR 2,774

87.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.84 PKR 234

65.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.35 PKR 98.2

-14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$3.07 PKR 856

76.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.97 PKR 271

39.18%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

7.38%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

-0.11%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$103 PKR 28.7K

-60.28%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$3.95 PKR 1,101

596.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$16.31 PKR 4,545

86.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$9.99 PKR 2,784

434.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$7.52 PKR 2,097

249.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.64 PKR 1,015

72.25%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

992.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$953 PKR 265.7K

998.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$11.64 PKR 3,246

387.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$18.40 PKR 5,131

143.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

15.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$28.47 PKR 7,937

279.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$130 PKR 36.2K

669.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

861.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$327 PKR 91.2K

553.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$174 PKR 48.5K

610.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$1,159 PKR 323.0K

233.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$522 PKR 145.4K

347.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$174 PKR 48.4K

515.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $130 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 515% 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 $14.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $95.0 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 251% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $423 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 515% 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 $130 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 88% 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 $39.91 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $423 in Rawalpindi versus $1,484 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 251% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.