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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $343 in Swabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $532 in Swabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $721 in Swabi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 328% more expensive than Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Swabi is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$2.91 PKR 809

352.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$931

$14.42 PKR 4,011

273.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$2.78 PKR 774

238.85%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 PKR 498

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.3

$0.55 PKR 154

545.45%

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

$1.62 MX$27.95

$0.29 PKR 81.6

458.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.25

$0.13 PKR 36.91

753.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.40

$0.63 PKR 175

169.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$46.97

$0.31 PKR 85.3

777.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.04

$0.84 PKR 234

127.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$1.04 PKR 289

144.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$173

$6.34 PKR 1,763

58.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.31 PKR 643

250.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$2.74 PKR 763

324.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$0.56 PKR 155

430.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.21

$0.34 PKR 93.3

432.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.79

$0.51 PKR 142

294.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.16

$0.27 PKR 74.7

651.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.71

$0.17 PKR 47.00

1147.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.21

$0.51 PKR 142

345.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.20

$0.31 PKR 85.3

351.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.53

$0.27 PKR 74.6

318.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 PKR 380

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 PKR 202

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 PKR 569

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.8

$2.17 PKR 605

96.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.17 PKR 46.57

123.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$331

$6.88 PKR 1,914

178.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.77

$0.68 PKR 189

102.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$0.16 PKR 43.74

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.1

$1.73 PKR 481

215.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.53

$0.96 PKR 266

35.42%

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

$18.7K MX$322.9K

$10.8K PKR 3.0M

73.31%

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

$23.1K MX$399.7K

$12.5K PKR 3.5M

84.36%

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

$40.86 MX$706

$52.5 PKR 14.6K

-22.17%

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

$26.81 MX$463

$3.57 PKR 994

650.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$18.94 PKR 5,269

58.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$899

$12.49 PKR 3,474

316.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$6.08 PKR 1,691

341.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$4.25 PKR 1,183

48.24%

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

$436 MX$7,536

$17.75 PKR 4,939

2357.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.0K

$1,093 PKR 303.9K

853.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$979

$3.48 PKR 969

1527.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$767

$28.04 PKR 7,801

58.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,779

$88.9 PKR 24.7K

15.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,823

$39.54 PKR 11.0K

166.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$74.2 PKR 20.6K

1276.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$51.6 PKR 14.3K

1123.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$165 PKR 45.8K

1197.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$105 PKR 29.2K

1084.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.4K

$1,117 PKR 310.7K

249.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$520 PKR 144.5K

297.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$162 PKR 45.2K

586.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-24.40%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Swabi: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $74.2 in Swabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 586% 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 Swabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $70.0 per month, with Swabi 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 Swabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Swabi differ by about 328% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $343 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 586% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $74.2 in Swabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Swabi runs roughly 179% 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 $17.75 in Swabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $343 in Swabi versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Swabi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Swabi 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 Swabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 328% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.