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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $336 in Wah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $530 in Wah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $723 in Wah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 341% more expensive than Wah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Wah is 75% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$1.79 PKR 498

625.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$10.59 PKR 2,953

401.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$3.58 PKR 998

171.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.87 PKR 799

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 PKR 1,356

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.28 PKR 356

192.97%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.33 PKR 93.2

375.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.24 PKR 67.3

370.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$0.72 PKR 201

125.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.60 PKR 168

351.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.31 PKR 366

43.51%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.14 PKR 317

120.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.18 PKR 1,724

63.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.56 PKR 712

223.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$3.14 PKR 876

280.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.99 PKR 277

188.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.58 PKR 163

201.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.61 PKR 171

240.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.56 PKR 157

251.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.35 PKR 97.1

517.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.51 PKR 143

327.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.60 PKR 167

131.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.40 PKR 111

180.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.40 PKR 390

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 PKR 208

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 PKR 565

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.89 PKR 528

122.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.19 PKR 52.8

105.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$7.19 PKR 2,003

159.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.04 PKR 291

33.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.44 PKR 123

-31.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$1.76 PKR 490

207.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.98 PKR 272

37.76%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$22.5K PKR 6.3M

-16.08%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$21.4K PKR 6.0M

8.15%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$59.4 PKR 16.6K

-31.27%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$3.72 PKR 1,036

639.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$12.65 PKR 3,527

140.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$12.61 PKR 3,515

323.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$6.04 PKR 1,684

335.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.62 PKR 1,010

73.20%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$27.81 PKR 7,751

1468.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$1,151 PKR 320.9K

809.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$15.94 PKR 4,443

256.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$22.22 PKR 6,196

101.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$60.2 PKR 16.8K

70.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$25.75 PKR 7,178

319.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$75.4 PKR 21.0K

1225.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$52.3 PKR 14.6K

1086.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$164 PKR 45.8K

1200.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$107 PKR 30.0K

1049.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$801 PKR 223.2K

382.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$569 PKR 158.6K

310.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-37.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $75.4 in Wah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $11.00 in Wah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $87.0 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 341% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $336 including rent). Wah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $504 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $75.4 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 160% 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 $27.81 in Wah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $336 in Wah versus $1,484 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 341% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.