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: $423 in Rawalpindi versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in Rawalpindi versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $917 in Rawalpindi versus $3,278 in Mexico City.

Living in Rawalpindi costs roughly 71% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rawalpindi is 68% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.75 PKR 487

$12.98 MX$227

-86.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.30 PKR 3,985

$53.1 MX$929

-73.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 PKR 1,501

$9.72 MX$170

-44.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 PKR 454

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 PKR 985

Cappuccino

$1.71 PKR 477

$3.75 MX$65.6

-54.40%

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

$0.31 PKR 87.8

$1.57 MX$27.46

-80.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.3

$1.13 MX$19.76

-81.42%

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)

$0.85 PKR 238

$1.62 MX$28.37

-47.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 PKR 144

$2.71 MX$47.36

-80.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 PKR 360

$1.88 MX$32.89

-31.38%

Eggs

$1.18 PKR 329

$2.51 MX$43.90

-52.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 PKR 1,724

$10.08 MX$176

-38.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 PKR 959

$8.29 MX$145

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.46 PKR 1,244

$11.94 MX$209

-62.65%

Apples (1kg)

$1.00 PKR 280

$2.86 MX$50.1

-65.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 PKR 177

$1.75 MX$30.62

-63.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 PKR 239

$2.08 MX$36.48

-58.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 PKR 134

$1.97 MX$34.46

-75.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.36 PKR 101

$2.16 MX$37.79

-83.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 136

$2.18 MX$38.16

-77.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.24 PKR 66.3

$1.39 MX$24.34

-82.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 101

$1.12 MX$19.69

-67.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.92 PKR 4,437

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 PKR 277

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 PKR 643

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 PKR 541

$4.20 MX$73.5

-53.81%

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)

$0.18 PKR 50.8

$0.39 MX$6.74

-53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.95 PKR 2,774

$18.66 MX$327

-46.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 234

$1.39 MX$24.26

-39.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 PKR 98.2

$0.30 MX$5.32

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 PKR 856

$5.42 MX$94.9

-43.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 PKR 271

$1.35 MX$23.63

-28.15%

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

$17.6K PKR 4.9M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

-6.88%

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

$23.2K PKR 6.5M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

0.11%

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

$103 PKR 28.7K

$40.82 MX$714

151.79%

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

$3.95 PKR 1,101

$27.50 MX$481

-85.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.31 PKR 4,545

$30.38 MX$532

-46.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.99 PKR 2,784

$53.4 MX$935

-81.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.52 PKR 2,097

$26.30 MX$460

-71.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.64 PKR 1,015

$6.27 MX$110

-41.95%

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

$39.91 PKR 11.1K

$436 MX$7,632

-90.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$953 PKR 265.7K

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-90.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.64 PKR 3,246

$56.8 MX$993

-79.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.40 PKR 5,131

$44.79 MX$784

-58.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 PKR 24.8K

$103 MX$1,799

-13.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.47 PKR 7,937

$108 MX$1,888

-73.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$130 PKR 36.2K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-87.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$64.5 PKR 18.0K

$620 MX$10.9K

-89.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$327 PKR 91.2K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-84.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 PKR 48.5K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-85.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,159 PKR 323.0K

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-70.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$522 PKR 145.4K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-77.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$174 PKR 48.4K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-83.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

11.34

77.87%

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

Last update for Rawalpindi: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $130 in Rawalpindi and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 515% 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: $14.00 in Rawalpindi vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $95.0 vs $286 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 251% in total monthly costs ($423 vs $1,484 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 515% less. 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: $130 in Rawalpindi versus $1,000 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 88% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $39.91 in Rawalpindi versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $423 in Rawalpindi versus $1,484 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 251% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.