Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Varanasi

For one person, living is cheaper in Varanasi: $290 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $15,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
14

Cost of Living Index in Varanasi
Learn more

Varanasi Living Index

Jump to prices

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Varanasi

🇮🇳 India

$290

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Varanasi

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Varanasi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $290 in Varanasi.

Mexico City $1,608
Varanasi $290

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $475 in Varanasi.

Mexico City $2,549
Varanasi $475

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $661 in Varanasi.

Mexico City $3,490
Varanasi $661

Living in Mexico City is roughly 455% more expensive than in Varanasi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Varanasi is 79% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

$1.83 ₹174

480.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$7.76 ₹738

523.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$3.19 ₹303

224.45%

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.7

$1.59 ₹151

132.08%

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

$1.67 MX$31.05

$0.42 ₹39.71

297.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.58

$0.10 ₹9.99

1170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

$1.54 ₹147

107.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

$2.06 ₹196

157.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.13

$0.61 ₹58.3

181.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.6

$0.31 ₹29.62

880.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$0.53 ₹50.7

266.04%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

$0.84 ₹80.1

244.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$204

$3.14 ₹299

249.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

$2.13 ₹203

334.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

$1.36 ₹130

124.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.17

$0.66 ₹63.0

193.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.73

$0.96 ₹91.0

111.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.12

$0.32 ₹30.04

621.88%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.91

$0.24 ₹22.67

750.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.53

$0.24 ₹22.77

650.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.56

$0.45 ₹43.03

228.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.62

$0.28 ₹26.78

353.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.8

$3.20 ₹305

65.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

$5.73 ₹546

180.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.95

$1.58 ₹151

25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.2

$1.90 ₹181

123.68%

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

$4.12 ₹392

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.68

$0.54 ₹51.9

-42.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

$9.74 ₹927

102.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.23

$0.26 ₹24.91

607.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

$0.11 ₹10.03

381.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

$1.07 ₹102

395.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.14

$1.11 ₹106

36.04%

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

$21.8K MX$405.3K

$11.2K ₹1.1M

93.42%

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

$24.0K MX$446.9K

$21.8K ₹2.1M

9.93%

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

$63.0 MX$1,173

$12.55 ₹1,195

401.83%

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

$27.39 MX$510

$3.62 ₹344

656.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$664

$7.04 ₹670

406.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,098

$12.58 ₹1,197

368.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

$3.02 ₹288

111.92%

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

$432 MX$8,041

$38.76 ₹3,690

1013.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.8K

$990 ₹94.3K

1053.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,271

$22.78 ₹2,168

199.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

$25.17 ₹2,397

111.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,008

$37.77 ₹3,596

185.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,185

$25.59 ₹2,437

358.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.7K

$111 ₹10.6K

898.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

$47.39 ₹4,512

1399.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

$194 ₹18.5K

1233.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

$138 ₹13.1K

920.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.6K

$571 ₹54.3K

536.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

$345 ₹32.8K

519.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$571 ₹54.3K

65.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

8.53

33.06%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Varanasi

$47 16.4% 93.3% $663

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Varanasi

$81 27.8% 74.8% $239

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Varanasi

$57 19.7% 71.3% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Varanasi

$50 17.3% 67.9% $106

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Varanasi

$23 8% 81.6% $103

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Varanasi

$19 6.4% 74% $53

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Varanasi

$13 4.4% 50.1% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $111 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 66% 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: $48 in Mexico City vs $8 in Varanasi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $81 per month, with Varanasi cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇮🇳 Varanasi

🕒 Local time

02:21 2:21 AM

13:51 1:51 PM

11 h 30 min ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

3,100,000

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Indian Rupee INR ₹

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.37 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

1,000 INR = 10.5 USD

1,000 INR = 9.41 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.63 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.79 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 95.21 INR (100 INR = 1.05 USD). 1 EUR = 106 INR (1,000 INR = 9.41 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Varanasi 15,030 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Varanasi

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $290 in Varanasi, so Varanasi is about 82% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% 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: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $111 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 51% less than in Mexico City. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $39 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $290 in Varanasi versus $1,608 in Mexico City, a $1,200 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 82% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.