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: $420 in Quetta versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in Quetta versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $814 in Quetta versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Quetta costs roughly 75% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Quetta is 69% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 PKR 1,026

$11.92 MX$206

-68.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.78 PKR 2,987

$51.6 MX$890

-79.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 PKR 1,255

$11.41 MX$197

-60.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 PKR 502

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 PKR 1,460

Cappuccino

$1.59 PKR 442

$3.99 MX$68.9

-60.15%

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

$0.39 PKR 107

$1.66 MX$28.61

-76.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 54.4

$1.33 MX$22.87

-84.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$0.69 PKR 192

$1.88 MX$32.36

-63.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$3.25 MX$56.1

-82.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 341

$2.16 MX$37.26

-43.06%

Eggs

$1.22 PKR 337

$2.90 MX$49.94

-57.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.93 PKR 1,366

$12.86 MX$222

-61.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 PKR 785

$10.05 MX$173

-71.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.12 PKR 1,419

$15.86 MX$273

-67.72%

Apples (1kg)

$0.93 PKR 258

$3.29 MX$56.8

-71.73%

Banana (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 159

$2.01 MX$34.60

-71.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 PKR 190

$2.20 MX$37.93

-68.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 153

$2.36 MX$40.63

-76.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.30 PKR 82.0

$2.05 MX$35.43

-85.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.90 MX$32.79

-70.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.43 PKR 118

$1.61 MX$27.68

-73.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 PKR 108

$1.40 MX$24.09

-72.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.75 PKR 485

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 PKR 300

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 PKR 788

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 PKR 579

$5.46 MX$94.2

-61.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.13 PKR 36.35

$0.34 MX$5.84

-61.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.27 PKR 2,845

$20.81 MX$359

-50.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.04 PKR 288

$2.10 MX$36.15

-50.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 PKR 120

$0.56 MX$9.64

-23.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 493

$5.81 MX$100

-69.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 PKR 296

$1.61 MX$27.68

-33.54%

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

$24.0K PKR 6.7M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

5.23%

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

$24.2K PKR 6.7M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-9.40%

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

$103 PKR 28.5K

$65.2 MX$1,124

57.90%

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

$8.11 PKR 2,246

$30.09 MX$519

-73.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.41 PKR 4,547

$37.18 MX$641

-55.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$5.78 PKR 1,602

$59.8 MX$1,030

-90.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 PKR 923

$7.04 MX$121

-52.70%

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

$34.78 PKR 9,635

$465 MX$8,012

-92.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$995 PKR 275.5K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-92.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$8.08 PKR 2,237

$75.9 MX$1,308

-89.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.81 PKR 6,318

$56.0 MX$965

-59.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 PKR 19.6K

$112 MX$1,929

-36.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$34.10 PKR 9,446

$121 MX$2,078

-71.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$71.4 PKR 19.8K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-93.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.66 PKR 13.8K

$721 MX$12.4K

-93.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$165 PKR 45.8K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-93.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$99.5 PKR 27.6K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-92.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$376 PKR 104.3K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-90.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$219 PKR 60.6K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-89.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$274 PKR 75.9K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-73.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.88

11.3

13.98%

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

Last update for Quetta: September 15, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $71.4 in Quetta and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 279% 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 $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $89.0 vs $345 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

Quetta and Mexico City differ by about 295% in total monthly costs ($420 vs $1,660 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 279% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $71.4 in Quetta versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Quetta 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 $34.78 in Quetta versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $420 in Quetta versus $1,660 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.

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 Quetta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 295% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.