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: $431 in Rawalpindi versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $665 in Rawalpindi versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $899 in Rawalpindi versus $3,245 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

$1.79 PKR 497

$13.14 MX$227

-86.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$53.5 MX$926

-73.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$9.33 MX$161

-43.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$3.70 MX$64.0

-55.14%

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

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$1.60 MX$27.76

-78.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$1.12 MX$19.34

-81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$1.65 MX$28.61

-52.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$2.71 MX$46.96

-79.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.91 MX$33.03

-31.94%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$2.59 MX$44.81

-55.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$9.81 MX$170

-39.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$8.43 MX$146

-61.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$11.93 MX$206

-62.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$2.95 MX$51.1

-65.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.74 MX$30.10

-63.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$2.04 MX$35.38

-58.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$2.06 MX$35.64

-75.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$2.15 MX$37.20

-82.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$2.26 MX$39.02

-76.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$1.39 MX$23.97

-81.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$1.12 MX$19.31

-64.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$4.22 MX$73.0

-54.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.35 MX$6.10

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$19.32 MX$334

-50.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.38 MX$23.80

-38.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$0.28 MX$4.77

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$5.28 MX$91.3

-41.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$1.36 MX$23.50

-30.15%

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

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$19.1K MX$330.5K

-8.36%

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

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$23.6K MX$408.4K

-2.99%

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

$101 PKR 28.0K

$40.53 MX$701

148.58%

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

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$27.38 MX$474

-85.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$30.38 MX$526

-46.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$52.2 MX$903

-81.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$26.48 MX$458

-71.98%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$6.19 MX$107

-42.33%

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

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$425 MX$7,355

-90.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-91.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$58.3 MX$1,009

-79.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$44.57 MX$771

-57.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$103 MX$1,791

-13.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$109 MX$1,881

-73.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-86.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$623 MX$10.8K

-89.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-84.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-85.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$3,792 MX$65.6K

-70.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$2,110 MX$36.5K

-75.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

-83.31%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $133 in Rawalpindi and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 499% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $94.0 vs $293 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 242% in total monthly costs ($431 vs $1,472 including rent). Rawalpindi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 499% 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: $133 in Rawalpindi 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 Rawalpindi runs roughly 101% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $40.97 in Rawalpindi versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $431 in Rawalpindi versus $1,472 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 242% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.