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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $382 in Skardu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $573 in Skardu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $765 in Skardu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 284% more expensive than Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Skardu is 71% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$231

$1.75 PKR 488

653.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$943

$10.62 PKR 2,956

407.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$165

$4.11 PKR 1,144

129.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 PKR 500

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 PKR 1,001

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$62.1

$0.46 PKR 128

671.74%

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

$1.62 MX$28.30

$0.35 PKR 96.2

362.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.49

$0.23 PKR 64.1

382.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$81.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.77

$0.73 PKR 202

132.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.56

$0.60 PKR 167

353.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.45

$1.21 PKR 338

57.85%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.37

$1.12 PKR 312

126.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$176

$6.15 PKR 1,710

63.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$142

$2.55 PKR 710

217.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$203

$3.63 PKR 1,011

220.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.9

$1.04 PKR 289

185.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.61

$0.66 PKR 183

174.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.22

$0.61 PKR 170

229.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.60

$0.49 PKR 136

314.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$37.17

$0.37 PKR 104

472.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.71

$0.47 PKR 131

382.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.50

$0.31 PKR 86.2

351.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.78

$0.36 PKR 100

213.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 378

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 PKR 241

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 PKR 568

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.7

$1.90 PKR 528

124.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$272

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.70

$0.19 PKR 54.3

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$336

$6.91 PKR 1,923

177.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.07

$0.90 PKR 250

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.84

$0.41 PKR 114

-31.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$95.3

$1.75 PKR 486

211.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.82

$0.98 PKR 273

32.65%

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

$18.7K MX$327.0K

$21.2K PKR 5.9M

-12.00%

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

$23.1K MX$404.7K

$22.8K PKR 6.4M

1.32%

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

$40.86 MX$715

$102 PKR 28.4K

-59.98%

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

$26.81 MX$469

$7.18 PKR 1,999

273.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$524

$11.13 PKR 3,096

169.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$910

$12.57 PKR 3,498

313.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$470

$5.83 PKR 1,624

360.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$110

$3.61 PKR 1,006

74.52%

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

$436 MX$7,631

$29.43 PKR 8,188

1381.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$182.3K

$1,094 PKR 304.5K

851.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$991

$15.31 PKR 4,259

270.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$777

$22.03 PKR 6,131

101.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,801

$69.1 PKR 19.2K

48.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,846

$29.47 PKR 8,200

258.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.9K

$74.0 PKR 20.6K

1280.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$11.0K

$52.2 PKR 14.5K

1109.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.4K

$167 PKR 46.5K

1177.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.7K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1052.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$68.3K

$917 PKR 255.1K

325.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$36.1K

$567 PKR 157.9K

263.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-40.32%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Skardu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $74.0 in Skardu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Skardu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $86.0 per month, with Skardu 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 Skardu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Skardu differ by about 284% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $382 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $573 in Skardu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $74.0 in Skardu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Skardu runs roughly 178% 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 $29.43 in Skardu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $382 in Skardu versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Skardu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Skardu 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Skardu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Skardu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 284% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.