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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,561 in Mexico City versus $419 in Wah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,440 in Mexico City versus $631 in Wah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,319 in Mexico City versus $843 in Wah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 273% more expensive than in Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 16% above, Wah is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$200

$1.81 PKR 502

514.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$880

$10.91 PKR 3,019

349.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$202

$5.51 PKR 1,526

103.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 PKR 707

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 PKR 614

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$67.5

$1.28 PKR 353

193.75%

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

$1.65 MX$29.69

$0.31 PKR 85.5

432.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.98

$0.26 PKR 72.4

392.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$58.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.52

$0.85 PKR 235

112.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$52.8

$0.65 PKR 179

352.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$36.82

$1.26 PKR 350

62.70%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$52.6

$1.19 PKR 330

146.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$215

$8.70 PKR 2,408

37.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$171

$2.65 PKR 733

258.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$267

$3.96 PKR 1,095

274.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$56.5

$1.09 PKR 302

188.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$0.65 PKR 181

209.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.29

$0.57 PKR 158

264.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$39.86

$0.47 PKR 130

372.34%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.01

$0.29 PKR 78.9

610.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$33.73

$0.52 PKR 144

261.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.60

$0.53 PKR 147

179.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.17

$0.40 PKR 110

237.50%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.56 PKR 155

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 PKR 155

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 PKR 189

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$97.2

$2.44 PKR 676

121.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$35.66

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$77.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

$0.17 PKR 47.99

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$363

$9.99 PKR 2,764

102.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$37.65

$1.06 PKR 294

98.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.53

$1.11 PKR 307

-52.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$97.1

$2.92 PKR 808

85.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.31

$1.15 PKR 318

32.17%

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

$21.7K MX$390.5K

$23.3K PKR 6.4M

-6.71%

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

$24.8K MX$445.9K

$22.9K PKR 6.3M

8.38%

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

$63.0 MX$1,132

$66.3 PKR 18.3K

-4.97%

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

$28.88 MX$519

$5.43 PKR 1,504

431.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$610

$14.73 PKR 4,076

130.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,002

$14.62 PKR 4,047

281.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$447

$7.61 PKR 2,107

227.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$122

$7.16 PKR 1,983

-5.45%

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

$428 MX$7,687

$26.68 PKR 7,383

1503.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$213.3K

$1,994 PKR 552.0K

495.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,258

$19.25 PKR 5,329

263.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$966

$26.87 PKR 7,437

99.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,973

$53.2 PKR 14.7K

106.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,070

$29.45 PKR 8,151

291.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.1K

$127 PKR 35.2K

735.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.1K

$78.3 PKR 21.7K

756.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$42.8K

$250 PKR 69.1K

852.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.6K

$152 PKR 42.0K

730.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$66.8K

$924 PKR 255.7K

302.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.5K

$509 PKR 140.9K

288.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$17.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

11.83

-4.48%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Wah: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,062 in Mexico City and $127 in Wah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $49.00 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Wah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $99.0 per month, with Wah 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 Wah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Wah differ by about 273% in total monthly costs ($1,561 vs $419 including rent). Wah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,341 in Mexico City and $628 in Wah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,062 in Mexico City versus $127 in Wah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Wah runs roughly 103% 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 $26.68 in Wah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $419 in Wah versus $1,561 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Wah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Wah 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Wah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Wah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 273% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.