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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $304 in Varanasi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $512 in Varanasi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $720 in Varanasi.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 387% more expensive than Varanasi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Varanasi is 77% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$2.28 ₹216

469.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$8.82 ₹837

501.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.58 ₹340

171.51%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.55 ₹148

141.94%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.33 ₹31.34

375.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.11 ₹10.58

927.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.72 ₹163

84.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.27 ₹216

105.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.64 ₹60.6

153.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.37 ₹34.68

632.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$0.53 ₹50.3

254.72%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$0.95 ₹89.9

164.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$3.61 ₹343

179.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.57 ₹244

222.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.50 ₹143

90.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.66 ₹62.2

165.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.87 ₹82.3

139.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.38 ₹36.12

418.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.27 ₹25.61

700.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.27 ₹25.73

707.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.35 ₹33.19

297.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.31 ₹29.54

261.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.92 ₹277

43.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$5.66 ₹537

151.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.72 ₹163

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.62 ₹249

40.46%

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

$4.67 ₹443

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.56 ₹53.6

-30.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$10.57 ₹1,004

76.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$0.20 ₹18.97

595.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.12 ₹11.05

150.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.19 ₹113

355.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$1.16 ₹110

16.38%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$14.0K ₹1.3M

34.80%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.6K ₹2.0M

12.65%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$13.87 ₹1,317

194.30%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$3.71 ₹352

641.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$5.50 ₹523

452.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$12.43 ₹1,180

329.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$5.83 ₹554

351.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.00 ₹285

109.00%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$56.8 ₹5,392

667.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$933 ₹88.6K

1022.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$22.89 ₹2,174

147.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$24.11 ₹2,289

85.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$40.07 ₹3,804

156.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$24.97 ₹2,371

332.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$130 ₹12.3K

668.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$53.0 ₹5,033

1070.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$244 ₹23.2K

775.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$154 ₹14.6K

702.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$576 ₹54.7K

571.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$337 ₹31.9K

593.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$589 ₹56.0K

81.09%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Varanasi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $130 in Varanasi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 81% 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 $286 vs $88.0 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 387% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $304 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 81% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $130 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 77% 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 $56.8 in Varanasi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $304 in Varanasi versus $1,484 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 387% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.