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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $310 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $514 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $717 in Varanasi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 366% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Varanasi is 77% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$2.31 ₹220

461.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$8.68 ₹825

506.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$3.47 ₹330

171.76%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.55 ₹147

130.32%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.33 ₹31.70

387.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.12 ₹11.84

858.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.76 ₹168

78.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.29 ₹217

112.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$0.69 ₹65.8

146.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.39 ₹37.32

576.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$0.52 ₹49.63

265.38%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$0.90 ₹85.6

182.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$3.58 ₹340

181.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.59 ₹246

220.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.57 ₹149

92.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.66 ₹62.5

159.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.93 ₹88.4

120.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.38 ₹36.36

442.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.27 ₹25.42

662.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.25 ₹23.53

768.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.35 ₹33.01

300.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.29 ₹27.46

286.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.89 ₹275

48.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$5.66 ₹538

172.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.67 ₹159

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.67 ₹254

38.20%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.52 ₹430

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.55 ₹52.5

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$10.59 ₹1,007

79.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$0.22 ₹20.93

527.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.11 ₹10.23

154.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$1.13 ₹107

379.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$1.19 ₹113

7.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$13.7K ₹1.3M

38.59%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.8K ₹2.0M

12.73%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$13.88 ₹1,320

195.53%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$3.65 ₹347

637.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$5.28 ₹502

462.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$12.64 ₹1,202

314.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$5.83 ₹555

349.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$2.84 ₹270

117.61%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$57.8 ₹5,493

639.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$926 ₹88.1K

1055.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$23.02 ₹2,189

146.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$24.76 ₹2,355

81.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$40.46 ₹3,847

158.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$25.47 ₹2,423

315.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$125 ₹11.9K

692.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$52.7 ₹5,011

1078.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$251 ₹23.8K

747.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$152 ₹14.5K

723.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$553 ₹52.6K

605.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$338 ₹32.2K

519.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$579 ₹55.1K

91.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

8.72

30.05%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $125 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 91% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $9.00 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $89.0 per month, with Varanasi 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 Varanasi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Varanasi differ by about 366% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $310 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 91% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $125 in Varanasi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Varanasi runs roughly 80% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $57.8 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $310 in Varanasi versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varanasi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Varanasi 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 Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 366% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.