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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $352 in Quetta versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $550 in Quetta versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $748 in Quetta versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

Living in Quetta costs roughly 76% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quetta is 74% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 PKR 960
$12.98 MX$223
-73.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$10.69 PKR 2,972
$52.6 MX$903
-79.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.40 PKR 1,223
$9.43 MX$162
-53.34%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.80 PKR 500
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57 PKR 435
-
-
Cappuccino
$1.62 PKR 449
$3.57 MX$61.3
-54.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.42 PKR 118
$1.61 MX$27.55
-73.91%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 PKR 61.2
$1.15 MX$19.81
-80.87%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 MX$54.0
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.86 MX$83.4
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.74 PKR 207
$1.70 MX$29.17
-56.47%
White Bread (500g)
$0.46 PKR 129
$2.64 MX$45.23
-82.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.07 PKR 298
$1.90 MX$32.67
-43.68%
Eggs
$1.08 PKR 299
$2.54 MX$43.62
-57.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.94 PKR 1,652
$10.08 MX$173
-41.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.49 PKR 691
$8.29 MX$142
-69.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$4.24 PKR 1,178
$11.57 MX$199
-63.35%
Apples (1kg)
$1.07 PKR 298
$3.03 MX$52.0
-64.69%
Banana (1kg)
$0.56 PKR 155
$1.71 MX$29.35
-67.25%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.57 PKR 158
$2.05 MX$35.16
-72.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.52 PKR 145
$2.06 MX$35.36
-74.76%
Potato (1kg)
$0.29 PKR 80.6
$2.06 MX$35.43
-85.92%
Onion (1kg)
$0.50 PKR 139
$2.17 MX$37.25
-76.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.35 PKR 98.2
$1.40 MX$24.08
-75.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.30 PKR 83.3
$1.12 MX$19.26
-73.21%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.42 PKR 395
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.36 PKR 101
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 PKR 598
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$0.72 PKR 201
$4.29 MX$73.7
-83.22%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$15.41 MX$265
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.67 MX$28.74
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$3.69 MX$63.3
-
🚌 Getting Around
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 PKR 49.40
$0.38 MX$6.55
-52.63%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$5.36 PKR 1,491
$19.06 MX$327
-71.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.33 PKR 92.5
$1.38 MX$23.70
-76.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.65 PKR 180
$0.28 MX$4.74
132.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.72 PKR 479
$5.42 MX$92.9
-68.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.96 PKR 266
$1.28 MX$21.98
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.6K PKR 6.0M
$19.0K MX$325.8K
13.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$12.3K PKR 3.4M
$23.5K MX$402.7K
-47.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$52.6 PKR 14.6K
$41.02 MX$704
28.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.38 PKR 1,774
$26.92 MX$462
-76.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$13.98 PKR 3,887
$29.69 MX$510
-52.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$5.09 PKR 1,415
$52.3 MX$898
-90.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$5.81 PKR 1,614
$26.23 MX$450
-77.85%
Cinema Ticket
$2.89 PKR 804
$6.18 MX$106
-53.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$35.09 PKR 9,756
$427 MX$7,331
-91.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$424 PKR 117.8K
$10.7K MX$183.6K
-96.04%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$7.22 PKR 2,006
$56.8 MX$975
-87.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$6.98 PKR 1,941
$44.83 MX$769
-84.43%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.7 PKR 24.9K
$105 MX$1,794
-14.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$29.19 PKR 8,116
$106 MX$1,819
-72.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$69.9 PKR 19.4K
$995 MX$17.1K
-92.98%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$50.4 PKR 14.0K
$621 MX$10.7K
-91.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$157 PKR 43.7K
$2,126 MX$36.5K
-92.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$95.5 PKR 26.6K
$1,254 MX$21.5K
-92.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$381 PKR 106.0K
$3,903 MX$67.0K
-90.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$220 PKR 61.3K
$2,096 MX$36.0K
-89.48%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Quetta
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$213 PKR 59.3K
$1,107 MX$19.0K
-80.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12
11.34
5.82%

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

Last update for Quetta: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.9 in Quetta and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 420% 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: $11.00 in Quetta vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $84.0 vs $288 per month, with Quetta 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
Quetta vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Quetta and Mexico City?
Quetta and Mexico City differ by about 312% in total monthly costs ($352 vs $1,447 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Mexico City earns 420% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Quetta and Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $69.9 in Quetta versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Quetta and Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Quetta runs roughly 256% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Quetta and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $35.09 in Quetta versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $352 in Quetta versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Quetta but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Quetta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Quetta and Mexico City?
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.
Where should expats move: Quetta or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 312% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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