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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $314 in Varanasi versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $517 in Varanasi versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $720 in Varanasi versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Varanasi costs roughly 79% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Varanasi is 76% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.31 ₹221

$13.14 MX$229

-82.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.96 ₹857

$53.5 MX$934

-83.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₹336

$9.33 MX$163

-62.38%

Cappuccino

$1.50 ₹143

$3.70 MX$64.5

-59.46%

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

$0.31 ₹29.51

$1.60 MX$27.98

-80.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ₹12.45

$1.12 MX$19.49

-88.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ₹171

$3.14 MX$54.7

-42.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 ₹222

$4.85 MX$84.5

-52.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.65 ₹61.8

$1.65 MX$28.84

-60.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.37 ₹35.38

$2.71 MX$47.34

-86.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.52 ₹50.2

$1.91 MX$33.29

-72.77%

Eggs

$0.95 ₹90.7

$2.59 MX$45.17

-63.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.60 ₹344

$9.81 MX$171

-63.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.54 ₹243

$8.43 MX$147

-69.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 ₹145

$2.95 MX$51.5

-48.47%

Banana (1kg)

$0.66 ₹63.2

$1.74 MX$30.35

-62.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.88 ₹83.8

$2.04 MX$35.66

-56.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 ₹36.85

$2.06 MX$35.93

-81.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.29 ₹27.94

$2.15 MX$37.49

-86.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.27 ₹25.91

$2.26 MX$39.33

-88.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.35 ₹33.26

$1.39 MX$24.17

-74.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ₹27.47

$1.12 MX$19.47

-74.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 ₹278

$4.22 MX$73.6

-31.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.84 ₹559

$17.51 MX$305

-66.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 ₹157

$1.71 MX$29.82

-4.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ₹251

$3.63 MX$63.4

-27.82%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$4.67 ₹447

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ₹56.6

$0.35 MX$6.15

68.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.66 ₹1,019

$19.32 MX$337

-44.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.20 ₹19.10

$1.38 MX$24.00

-85.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.11 ₹10.70

$0.28 MX$4.81

-60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.17 ₹112

$5.28 MX$92.0

-77.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ₹111

$1.36 MX$23.69

-14.71%

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

$14.1K ₹1.4M

$19.1K MX$333.2K

-26.07%

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

$21.3K ₹2.0M

$23.6K MX$411.7K

-9.95%

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

$13.81 ₹1,321

$40.53 MX$707

-65.93%

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

$3.54 ₹338

$27.38 MX$478

-87.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.59 ₹534

$30.38 MX$530

-81.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$12.28 ₹1,174

$52.2 MX$911

-76.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.85 ₹559

$26.48 MX$462

-77.91%

Cinema Ticket

$2.97 ₹284

$6.19 MX$108

-52.02%

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

$57.5 ₹5,499

$425 MX$7,414

-86.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$926 ₹88.6K

$10.7K MX$187.2K

-91.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.97 ₹2,197

$58.3 MX$1,017

-60.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.51 ₹2,344

$44.57 MX$777

-45.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.19 ₹3,939

$103 MX$1,805

-60.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$24.96 ₹2,387

$109 MX$1,897

-77.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 ₹12.2K

$1,014 MX$17.7K

-87.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$52.5 ₹5,022

$623 MX$10.9K

-91.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₹24.1K

$2,119 MX$37.0K

-88.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$158 ₹15.1K

$1,223 MX$21.3K

-87.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$558 ₹53.4K

$3,792 MX$66.1K

-85.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$331 ₹31.7K

$2,110 MX$36.8K

-84.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$572 ₹54.7K

$1,052 MX$18.4K

-45.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.72

11.34

-23.10%

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

Last update for Varanasi: July 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Varanasi and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 84% 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: $9.00 in Varanasi vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $293 per month, with Varanasi 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

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

Varanasi and Mexico City differ by about 370% in total monthly costs ($314 vs $1,472 including rent). Varanasi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 84% 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: $127 in Varanasi 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 Varanasi runs roughly 81% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $57.5 in Varanasi versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $314 in Varanasi versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Varanasi but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Varanasi 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 Varanasi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 370% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.