Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Ad Dammam versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,452 in Ad Dammam versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 13% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.09 SAR 30.38

$12.11 MX$206

-33.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.23 SAR 140

$52.2 MX$887

-28.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.79 SAR 25.50

$10.90 MX$185

-37.71%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.80 SAR 6.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

Cappuccino

$3.04 SAR 11.42

$4.05 MX$68.9

-24.94%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.72 MX$29.15

-55.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.62

$1.38 MX$23.41

-87.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$1.85 MX$31.50

-4.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 5.00

$3.22 MX$54.8

-58.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 SAR 7.25

$2.09 MX$35.44

-7.66%

Eggs

$2.10 SAR 7.89

$2.91 MX$49.44

-27.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.34 SAR 27.57

$12.49 MX$212

-41.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$10.11 MX$172

-23.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.48 SAR 46.85

$15.89 MX$270

-21.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.20

$3.31 MX$56.3

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

$2.13 MX$36.14

-19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$2.19 MX$37.22

-25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$2.45 MX$41.59

-33.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.04

$2.19 MX$37.20

-50.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.90 MX$32.37

-37.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$1.62 MX$27.45

-18.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.12

$1.35 MX$22.94

-58.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 SAR 28.19

$5.43 MX$92.2

38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 SAR 3.37

$0.34 MX$5.78

164.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.24 SAR 132

$21.58 MX$367

63.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

$2.04 MX$34.67

30.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$0.58 MX$9.82

351.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$5.97 MX$101

124.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.62 MX$27.46

-62.96%

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

$66.9K SAR 251.2K

$22.8K MX$387.6K

193.29%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.4K

$26.7K MX$453.1K

-21.68%

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

$126 SAR 472

$65.2 MX$1,109

92.80%

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

$33.14 SAR 124

$29.87 MX$508

10.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.7 SAR 235

$36.55 MX$621

71.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.1 SAR 286

$61.0 MX$1,037

24.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.76 SAR 104

$26.70 MX$454

3.97%

Cinema Ticket

$13.49 SAR 50.7

$6.85 MX$116

96.93%

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

$414 SAR 1,554

$453 MX$7,705

-8.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,996 SAR 30.0K

$13.4K MX$227.2K

-40.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.25 SAR 155

$75.0 MX$1,274

-44.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 SAR 183

$55.3 MX$940

-11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 SAR 365

$114 MX$1,931

-14.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 SAR 345

$123 MX$2,084

-25.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$566 SAR 2,126

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-50.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$376 SAR 1,410

$712 MX$12.1K

-47.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$988 SAR 3,708

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-61.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 SAR 2,523

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-48.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,376 SAR 5,166

$3,993 MX$67.8K

-65.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$597 SAR 2,240

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-71.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,528 SAR 5,736

$1,047 MX$17.8K

45.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.9

11.3

-47.79%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $566 in Ad Dammam and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 46% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Ad Dammam vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $345 per month, with Ad Dammam 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

Ad Dammam vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 46% higher in Ad Dammam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $566 in Ad Dammam versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,198 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Ad Dammam versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,198 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.