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: $346 in Quetta versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $537 in Quetta versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $728 in Quetta versus $3,245 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 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.52 PKR 977

$13.14 MX$228

-73.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.63 PKR 2,950

$53.5 MX$928

-80.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 PKR 1,216

$9.33 MX$162

-53.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 PKR 478

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 PKR 431

Cappuccino

$1.70 PKR 471

$3.70 MX$64.1

-54.05%

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

$0.42 PKR 117

$1.60 MX$27.80

-73.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 PKR 55.4

$1.12 MX$19.37

-82.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.0

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 PKR 206

$1.65 MX$28.65

-55.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.46 PKR 128

$2.71 MX$47.03

-83.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 PKR 285

$1.91 MX$33.08

-46.07%

Eggs

$1.12 PKR 310

$2.59 MX$44.88

-56.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.92 PKR 1,644

$9.81 MX$170

-39.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 PKR 716

$8.43 MX$146

-69.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.12 PKR 1,143

$11.93 MX$207

-65.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.04 PKR 289

$2.95 MX$51.2

-64.75%

Banana (1kg)

$0.55 PKR 154

$1.74 MX$30.15

-68.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.57 PKR 157

$2.04 MX$35.43

-72.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 133

$2.06 MX$35.70

-76.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 PKR 87.2

$2.15 MX$37.25

-85.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 132

$2.26 MX$39.08

-78.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 PKR 98.5

$1.39 MX$24.01

-74.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.32 PKR 90.1

$1.12 MX$19.34

-71.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.45 PKR 402

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 93.1

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 PKR 581

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.69 PKR 192

$4.22 MX$73.1

-83.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.62

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.16 PKR 43.93

$0.35 MX$6.11

-54.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.23 PKR 1,453

$19.32 MX$335

-72.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.38 MX$23.84

-73.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 PKR 171

$0.28 MX$4.78

121.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.73 PKR 481

$5.28 MX$91.4

-67.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 268

$1.36 MX$23.53

-28.68%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$19.1K MX$331.0K

12.77%

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

$12.1K PKR 3.4M

$23.6K MX$409.1K

-48.56%

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

$52.6 PKR 14.6K

$40.53 MX$702

29.73%

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

$6.41 PKR 1,778

$27.38 MX$474

-76.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.32 PKR 3,975

$30.38 MX$527

-52.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$4.96 PKR 1,378

$52.2 MX$905

-90.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.76 PKR 1,600

$26.48 MX$459

-78.25%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 PKR 805

$6.19 MX$107

-53.15%

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

$34.09 PKR 9,461

$425 MX$7,366

-91.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$417 PKR 115.7K

$10.7K MX$186.0K

-96.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$6.98 PKR 1,937

$58.3 MX$1,010

-88.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.24 PKR 2,010

$44.57 MX$772

-83.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 PKR 24.2K

$103 MX$1,793

-15.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.59 PKR 8,213

$109 MX$1,884

-72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$69.8 PKR 19.4K

$1,014 MX$17.6K

-93.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$49.30 PKR 13.7K

$623 MX$10.8K

-92.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 PKR 44.1K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-92.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$96.5 PKR 26.8K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-92.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$376 PKR 104.2K

$3,792 MX$65.7K

-90.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$214 PKR 59.3K

$2,110 MX$36.6K

-89.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$271 PKR 75.3K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-74.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.82%

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

Last update for Quetta: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $69.8 in Quetta and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 288% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $84.0 vs $293 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 325% in total monthly costs ($346 vs $1,472 including rent). Quetta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 288% 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: $69.8 in Quetta versus $1,014 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 269% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $34.09 in Quetta versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $346 in Quetta versus $1,472 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 325% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.