What if you were born in Mexico?

If you had grown up in Mexico instead of Pakistan, here is what your money, your home and your day in Mexico City could look like.

Try it with my numbers

El Castillo pyramid, Chichén Itzá. Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Three alternate lives in Mexico

Each person keeps the same place on the income ladder they have in Pakistan. Amounts are per month, after tax, in MXN and in rupees at today’s rate.

Single, starting out

Earns Rs 60,000 a month in Pakistan, on your own.

Take-home in Mexico: MXN 24,700Rs 367,000
Rent (city centre): MXN 7,120
Transport (public transport): MXN 1,260
Food: MXN 3,560
Saved: MXN 3,700

Family of four

Earns Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, as a family of four.

Take-home in Mexico: MXN 56,600Rs 842,000
Rent (suburbs): MXN 14,400
Transport (public transport): MXN 2,890
Food: MXN 9,630
Saved: MXN 8,500

High-earning couple

Earns Rs 300,000 a month in Pakistan, as a couple.

Take-home in Mexico: MXN 91,800Rs 1,370,000
Rent (city centre): MXN 22,500
Transport (car): MXN 8,590
Food: MXN 11,200
Saved: MXN 25,700

Try it with my own income

A day in Mexico City

The family of four above, with one parent working as an engineer.

Morning
You wake up in Mexico City, a city of mild winters around 10°C and cool summers around 17°C.
Commute
You take a bus and a train: about 40 minutes, a bit longer in bad weather.
Work
As an engineer: You spend the morning on site and the afternoon on drawings and calls with suppliers.
Language
Everything happens in Spanish; English is not widely spoken.
Lunch
Lunch might be tacos, and mole: a rich sauce made with chillies and chocolate.
Evening
You get home with MXN 8,500 saved each month. You stay alert in some areas at night.
Weekend
Weekends are for the coast and the mountains.

Mexico compared with Pakistan

	Mexico	Pakistan
Prices of everyday things	2.6× Pakistan	1×
Average life expectancy	75 years	68 years
Air pollution (PM2.5)	17 µg/m³	58 µg/m³
Unemployment	2.7%	5.4%
Average temperature, main city	14°C	26°C
Languages	Spanish	Urdu, English, regional languages
Currency	MXN	PKR

Sources: World Bank (price levels, household spending, life expectancy, PM2.5, unemployment), NASA POWER (climate), Dareecha’s daily exchange rates.

Thinking of really moving? See Pakistan vs Mexico, living in Mexico and the visa checker.

Questions

How much would I earn if I was born in Mexico?

It depends on where you are on the ladder. A family earning Rs 120,000 a month in Pakistan, above the national average, would take home around MXN 56,600 a month at the same level in Mexico (about Rs 842,000 at today's rate). Try your own numbers in the simulator.

Is Mexico more expensive than Pakistan?

Yes. Everyday goods and services cost about 2.6 times as much as in Pakistan (World Bank price levels), but incomes there are higher too, so what matters is how far your pay goes.

What language would I speak in Mexico?

Mainly Spanish. English is not widely spoken.

Can I actually move to Mexico?

This page imagines being born there. For a real move, compare costs, safety and jobs on the Pakistan vs Mexico page, and check visa rules in the visa checker.