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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $495 in Rawalpindi versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $781 in Rawalpindi versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,067 in Rawalpindi versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 70% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rawalpindi is 64% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.05 PKR 569

$11.92 MX$206

-82.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.07 PKR 4,452

$51.6 MX$890

-68.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 PKR 1,617

$11.41 MX$197

-48.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 PKR 487

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 PKR 971

Cappuccino

$1.98 PKR 549

$3.99 MX$68.9

-50.38%

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

$0.44 PKR 121

$1.66 MX$28.61

-73.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 PKR 69.4

$1.33 MX$22.87

-81.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 PKR 251

$1.88 MX$32.36

-51.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 PKR 151

$3.25 MX$56.1

-83.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 PKR 340

$2.16 MX$37.26

-43.06%

Eggs

$1.11 PKR 308

$2.90 MX$49.94

-61.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.32 PKR 1,752

$12.86 MX$222

-50.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.57 PKR 990

$10.05 MX$173

-64.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.05 PKR 1,398

$15.86 MX$273

-68.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 PKR 331

$3.29 MX$56.8

-63.53%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 232

$2.01 MX$34.60

-58.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 PKR 338

$2.20 MX$37.93

-44.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.53 PKR 146

$2.36 MX$40.63

-77.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 99.5

$2.05 MX$35.43

-82.44%

Onion (1kg)

$0.45 PKR 124

$1.90 MX$32.79

-76.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 84.9

$1.61 MX$27.68

-80.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.43 PKR 118

$1.40 MX$24.09

-69.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$16.09 PKR 4,458

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 PKR 316

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 657

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.93 PKR 535

$5.46 MX$94.2

-64.65%

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)

$0.18 PKR 50.5

$0.34 MX$5.84

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.99 PKR 2,767

$20.81 MX$359

-51.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.93 PKR 258

$2.10 MX$36.15

-55.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 96.1

$0.56 MX$9.64

-37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 PKR 861

$5.81 MX$100

-46.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 PKR 313

$1.61 MX$27.68

-29.81%

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

$17.9K PKR 5.0M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

-21.62%

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

$24.1K PKR 6.7M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-9.86%

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

$113 PKR 31.2K

$65.2 MX$1,124

73.03%

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

$5.55 PKR 1,537

$30.09 MX$519

-81.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.88 PKR 5,229

$37.18 MX$641

-49.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.11 PKR 3,354

$59.8 MX$1,030

-79.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.81 PKR 1,886

$26.55 MX$458

-74.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 PKR 1,179

$7.04 MX$121

-39.49%

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

$48.70 PKR 13.5K

$465 MX$8,012

-89.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$833 PKR 230.8K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-93.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.41 PKR 5,653

$75.9 MX$1,308

-73.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.85 PKR 7,993

$56.0 MX$965

-48.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 PKR 26.0K

$112 MX$1,929

-16.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.19 PKR 10.0K

$121 MX$2,078

-69.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$201 PKR 55.6K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-81.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.0 PKR 23.0K

$721 MX$12.4K

-88.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 PKR 118.6K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-83.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$226 PKR 62.6K

$1,293 MX$22.3K

-82.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,170 PKR 324.1K

$3,991 MX$68.8K

-70.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$507 PKR 140.5K

$2,090 MX$36.0K

-75.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 PKR 48.0K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-83.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.81

11.3

101.86%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $201 in Rawalpindi and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 498% 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: $16.00 in Rawalpindi vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $103 vs $345 per month, with Rawalpindi 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

Rawalpindi vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rawalpindi and Mexico City differ by about 235% in total monthly costs ($495 vs $1,660 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 498% 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: $201 in Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi runs roughly 108% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $48.70 in Rawalpindi versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $495 in Rawalpindi versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rawalpindi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 235% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.