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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $345 in Swabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $541 in Swabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $737 in Swabi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 322% more expensive than in Swabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Swabi is 74% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$2.87 PKR 796

355.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$14.34 PKR 3,981

274.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$2.77 PKR 770

249.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 503

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 PKR 500

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$0.55 PKR 153

580.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.29 PKR 81.5

458.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.15 PKR 42.78

673.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$0.61 PKR 170

170.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.31 PKR 85.4

787.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$0.85 PKR 237

120.00%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$1.08 PKR 301

131.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.28 PKR 1,744

62.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$2.34 PKR 648

252.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$2.71 PKR 754

336.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$0.55 PKR 154

447.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$0.34 PKR 93.9

432.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$0.50 PKR 140

300.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$0.29 PKR 81.4

589.66%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$0.19 PKR 54.1

994.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$0.52 PKR 143

336.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.34 PKR 93.1

329.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.29 PKR 81.1

272.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.47 PKR 409

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 PKR 192

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 PKR 558

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$2.08 PKR 578

109.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.16 PKR 45.58

143.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$7.25 PKR 2,013

157.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.68 PKR 188

95.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.21 PKR 57.2

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$1.74 PKR 483

201.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.90 PKR 251

48.89%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$10.7K PKR 3.0M

81.83%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$12.2K PKR 3.4M

94.77%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$54.1 PKR 15.0K

-24.80%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$3.62 PKR 1,004

642.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$18.35 PKR 5,096

66.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$12.58 PKR 3,494

319.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$6.00 PKR 1,665

344.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$4.14 PKR 1,149

57.25%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$17.34 PKR 4,814

2368.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$1,097 PKR 304.7K

856.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$3.57 PKR 990

1503.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$27.82 PKR 7,726

63.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$87.7 PKR 24.4K

18.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$40.25 PKR 11.2K

167.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$76.6 PKR 21.3K

1210.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

1081.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$164 PKR 45.6K

1183.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$108 PKR 30.0K

1027.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$967 PKR 268.6K

301.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$511 PKR 141.8K

298.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$162 PKR 44.9K

541.68%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Swabi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $76.6 in Swabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 542% 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 $292 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 322% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $345 including rent). Swabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 542% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $76.6 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 158% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $17.34 in Swabi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $345 in Swabi versus $1,456 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 322% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.