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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $437 in Skardu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $661 in Skardu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $885 in Skardu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 277% more expensive than in Skardu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Skardu is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$204

$2.38 PKR 660

408.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$881

$12.05 PKR 3,341

333.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$4.76 PKR 1,319

128.99%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 PKR 778

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 PKR 1,403

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.4

$1.44 PKR 399

181.25%

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

$1.72 MX$28.95

$0.39 PKR 107

341.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.25

$0.23 PKR 64.6

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.28

$0.87 PKR 242

112.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.4

$0.59 PKR 164

445.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.20

$1.15 PKR 320

81.74%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.10

$1.23 PKR 340

136.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$6.30 PKR 1,745

98.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.53 PKR 701

299.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$268

$5.19 PKR 1,439

206.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$1.12 PKR 309

195.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.90

$0.59 PKR 163

261.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.97

$0.74 PKR 205

195.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.31

$0.46 PKR 128

432.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.95

$0.31 PKR 86.8

606.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.15

$0.33 PKR 90.5

475.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.26

$0.33 PKR 90.4

390.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.78

$0.38 PKR 104

255.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 PKR 492

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 283

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 PKR 765

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.6

$1.91 PKR 530

184.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.90

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.18 PKR 48.91

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$364

$8.63 PKR 2,393

150.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.44

$1.18 PKR 328

72.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.75

$0.77 PKR 213

-24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.70 PKR 470

251.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.27

$1.13 PKR 313

43.36%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$19.3K PKR 5.4M

18.07%

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

$26.7K MX$450.0K

$22.2K PKR 6.1M

20.26%

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

$65.2 MX$1,101

$103 PKR 28.5K

-36.60%

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

$29.87 MX$504

$3.60 PKR 998

729.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$617

$13.74 PKR 3,810

166.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,030

$14.51 PKR 4,023

320.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$3.93 PKR 1,089

74.30%

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

$453 MX$7,652

$46.28 PKR 12.8K

879.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$225.7K

$951 PKR 263.8K

1305.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,265

$13.70 PKR 3,798

447.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$933

$19.12 PKR 5,302

189.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,917

$82.6 PKR 22.9K

37.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,070

$28.62 PKR 7,935

328.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.1K

$127 PKR 35.1K

795.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$66.6 PKR 18.5K

969.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$253 PKR 70.1K

916.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.1K

$162 PKR 44.9K

708.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.4K

$901 PKR 249.8K

343.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$469 PKR 129.9K

347.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Skardu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $127 in Skardu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Skardu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $93.0 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 277% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $437 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $656 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $127 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 150% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $46.28 in Skardu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $437 in Skardu versus $1,646 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 277% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.