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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $377 in Skardu versus $1,481 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $576 in Skardu versus $2,352 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $775 in Skardu versus $3,222 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Skardu is 72% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$13.16 MX$229

-86.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.50 PKR 2,916

$53.6 MX$933

-80.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.14 PKR 1,149

$9.55 MX$166

-56.65%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 PKR 479

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 PKR 998

Cappuccino

$0.42 PKR 117

$3.72 MX$64.8

-88.71%

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

$0.34 PKR 94.9

$1.57 MX$27.28

-78.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 PKR 63.9

$1.16 MX$20.12

-80.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.6

Milk (1 liter)

$0.77 PKR 215

$1.71 MX$29.68

-54.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 155

$2.62 MX$45.54

-78.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 PKR 336

$1.89 MX$32.87

-35.98%

Eggs

$1.17 PKR 324

$2.60 MX$45.17

-55.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.00 PKR 1,665

$9.91 MX$172

-39.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 PKR 721

$8.22 MX$143

-68.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.71 PKR 1,031

$11.78 MX$205

-68.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.05 PKR 290

$3.00 MX$52.1

-65.00%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 PKR 183

$1.80 MX$31.32

-63.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 PKR 186

$2.07 MX$36.09

-67.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 PKR 135

$1.97 MX$34.23

-75.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.35 PKR 95.9

$2.07 MX$36.06

-83.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 140

$2.17 MX$37.84

-76.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 PKR 85.6

$1.40 MX$24.42

-77.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 PKR 100

$1.07 MX$18.70

-66.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.55 PKR 429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 PKR 259

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 PKR 560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 PKR 550

$4.12 MX$71.7

-51.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.5

$0.38 MX$6.62

-47.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.10 PKR 1,972

$18.71 MX$326

-62.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.33 MX$23.13

-36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 PKR 111

$0.30 MX$5.27

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 PKR 495

$5.51 MX$95.9

-67.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 PKR 265

$1.31 MX$22.72

-26.72%

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

$21.5K PKR 6.0M

$19.2K MX$333.6K

11.99%

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

$22.7K PKR 6.3M

$23.7K MX$413.3K

-4.50%

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

$102 PKR 28.3K

$41.14 MX$716

147.93%

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

$7.09 PKR 1,969

$27.74 MX$483

-74.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.40 PKR 3,165

$30.13 MX$524

-62.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.46 PKR 3,458

$53.7 MX$935

-76.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.02 PKR 1,670

$25.98 MX$452

-76.83%

Cinema Ticket

$3.62 PKR 1,006

$6.49 MX$113

-44.22%

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

$29.27 PKR 8,128

$437 MX$7,599

-93.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,105 PKR 306.7K

$10.5K MX$182.0K

-89.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.31 PKR 4,250

$58.3 MX$1,015

-73.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.94 PKR 6,091

$45.86 MX$798

-52.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 PKR 19.1K

$101 MX$1,765

-32.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.93 PKR 8,033

$107 MX$1,854

-72.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$73.9 PKR 20.5K

$1,005 MX$17.5K

-92.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.7 PKR 14.6K

$634 MX$11.0K

-91.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$168 PKR 46.7K

$2,148 MX$37.4K

-92.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$108 PKR 29.9K

$1,247 MX$21.7K

-91.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$974 PKR 270.5K

$3,859 MX$67.2K

-74.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$484 PKR 134.2K

$2,085 MX$36.3K

-76.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

67.55%

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

Last update for Skardu: July 20, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $73.9 in Skardu and $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $11.00 in Skardu vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $87.0 vs $291 per month, with Skardu 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

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

Skardu and Mexico City differ by about 293% in total monthly costs ($377 vs $1,481 including rent). Skardu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $566 in Skardu and $2,222 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $73.9 in Skardu versus $1,005 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Skardu runs roughly 164% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $29.27 in Skardu versus $437 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $377 in Skardu versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Skardu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Skardu 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.

Safety-wise, Skardu and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Skardu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 293% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.