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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $495 in Rawalpindi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $781 in Rawalpindi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,067 in Rawalpindi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 235% more expensive than in Rawalpindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Rawalpindi is 64% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$2.05 PKR 569

481.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$16.07 PKR 4,452

221.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.84 PKR 1,617

95.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$1.98 PKR 549

101.52%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.44 PKR 121

277.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.25 PKR 69.4

432.00%

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

$0.91 PKR 251

106.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.54 PKR 151

501.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.23 PKR 340

75.61%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.11 PKR 308

161.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.32 PKR 1,752

103.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.57 PKR 990

181.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$5.05 PKR 1,398

214.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$1.20 PKR 331

174.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.84 PKR 232

139.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.22 PKR 338

80.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.53 PKR 146

345.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.36 PKR 99.5

469.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.45 PKR 124

322.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.31 PKR 84.9

419.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.43 PKR 118

225.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.93 PKR 535

182.90%

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

$0.18 PKR 50.5

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$9.99 PKR 2,767

108.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$0.93 PKR 258

125.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.35 PKR 96.1

60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$3.11 PKR 861

86.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.13 PKR 313

42.48%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

27.58%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

10.94%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$113 PKR 31.2K

-42.21%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$5.55 PKR 1,537

442.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$18.88 PKR 5,229

96.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$12.11 PKR 3,354

393.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$6.81 PKR 1,886

289.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$4.26 PKR 1,179

65.26%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

854.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$833 PKR 230.8K

1493.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$20.41 PKR 5,653

271.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$28.85 PKR 7,993

93.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

19.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

232.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$201 PKR 55.6K

449.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

767.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$428 PKR 118.6K

490.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$226 PKR 62.6K

472.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

241.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$507 PKR 140.5K

312.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$173 PKR 48.0K

498.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

22.81

-50.46%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $201 in Rawalpindi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 498% 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 $16.00 in Rawalpindi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $103 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 235% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $495 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 498% 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 $201 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 108% 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 $48.70 in Rawalpindi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $495 in Rawalpindi versus $1,660 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 235% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.