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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $376 in Swabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $606 in Swabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $837 in Swabi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 338% more expensive than in Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Swabi is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$205

$3.69 PKR 1,024

228.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$883

$22.59 PKR 6,264

131.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$184

$2.83 PKR 786

285.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.64 PKR 1,009

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 PKR 492

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.5

$0.57 PKR 157

610.53%

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

$1.72 MX$28.99

$0.28 PKR 77.5

514.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.28

$0.13 PKR 36.56

961.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.32

$0.67 PKR 186

176.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.5

$0.33 PKR 92.3

875.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.24

$0.91 PKR 253

129.67%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.16

$1.10 PKR 305

164.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$211

$5.80 PKR 1,609

115.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$171

$2.41 PKR 668

319.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$269

$2.83 PKR 783

461.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.0

$0.55 PKR 154

501.82%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.94

$0.34 PKR 95.5

526.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.02

$0.52 PKR 144

321.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.36

$0.30 PKR 84.1

716.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$36.99

$0.16 PKR 43.65

1268.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.19

$0.36 PKR 98.8

427.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.27 PKR 74.2

500.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.81

$0.30 PKR 84.4

350.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PKR 195

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 PKR 656

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$91.7

$2.27 PKR 630

139.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.74

$0.17 PKR 46.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$365

$10.77 PKR 2,985

100.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.48

$0.71 PKR 196

187.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.77

$0.20 PKR 55.9

190.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$1.59 PKR 441

275.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.30

$0.98 PKR 272

65.31%

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

$22.8K MX$385.5K

$10.9K PKR 3.0M

108.64%

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

$26.7K MX$450.6K

$12.7K PKR 3.5M

109.32%

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

$65.2 MX$1,102

$54.5 PKR 15.1K

19.73%

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

$29.87 MX$505

$3.57 PKR 989

736.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$618

$16.23 PKR 4,501

125.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,031

$14.76 PKR 4,091

313.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$451

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$4.97 PKR 1,378

37.83%

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

$453 MX$7,662

$17.75 PKR 4,922

2454.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$226.0K

$1,011 PKR 280.2K

1223.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,267

$3.72 PKR 1,030

1915.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$934

$32.47 PKR 9,003

70.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,920

$83.5 PKR 23.1K

36.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,073

$40.20 PKR 11.1K

205.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.2K

$128 PKR 35.4K

788.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.0K

$75.8 PKR 21.0K

839.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.4K

$248 PKR 68.7K

937.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.2K

$147 PKR 40.6K

794.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.5K

$983 PKR 272.5K

306.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.4K

$580 PKR 160.8K

261.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

$160 PKR 44.3K

555.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.08

-13.61%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Swabi: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $128 in Swabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 556% 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 $23.00 in Swabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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 338% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $376 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 556% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $128 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 100% 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 $17.75 in Swabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $376 in Swabi versus $1,646 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 338% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.