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: $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,872 in Ad Dammam versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Ad Dammam versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 18% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ad Dammam is 10% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$13.18 MX$228

-44.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 SAR 201

$53.9 MX$932

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.98 SAR 29.94

$9.42 MX$163

-15.29%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.89

$3.55 MX$61.4

4.23%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.43

$1.62 MX$27.98

-43.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$1.11 MX$19.27

-68.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

$1.70 MX$29.43

0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

$2.72 MX$47.02

-46.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.85

$1.91 MX$33.07

9.42%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$2.54 MX$43.86

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.06 SAR 22.73

$10.03 MX$174

-39.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.15 SAR 26.85

$8.09 MX$140

-11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.62 SAR 36.12

$11.62 MX$201

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.97 MX$51.3

-28.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.62

$1.81 MX$31.24

-17.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$2.01 MX$34.82

-31.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.03 MX$35.20

-18.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$2.12 MX$36.75

-39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.27 MX$39.25

-41.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.40 MX$24.22

-3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$1.13 MX$19.55

-51.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.92 SAR 29.73

$4.27 MX$73.9

85.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.36

$0.38 MX$6.62

134.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.16 SAR 151

$19.18 MX$332

109.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.35

$1.38 MX$23.79

138.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.65 SAR 9.96

$0.28 MX$4.78

846.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$5.45 MX$94.2

143.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.42

$1.30 MX$22.55

-50.77%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

23.43%

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

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-8.08%

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

$117 SAR 438

$40.86 MX$707

185.51%

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

$38.34 SAR 144

$26.81 MX$464

43.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 238

$29.96 MX$518

111.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.9 SAR 266

$52.0 MX$900

36.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.51 SAR 114

$26.84 MX$464

13.67%

Cinema Ticket

$15.54 SAR 58.3

$6.30 MX$109

146.67%

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

$415 SAR 1,559

$436 MX$7,544

-4.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-21.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 SAR 251

$56.7 MX$980

18.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$68.2 SAR 256

$44.38 MX$768

53.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.8 SAR 341

$103 MX$1,780

-11.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 SAR 321

$106 MX$1,825

-18.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-56.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 SAR 1,408

$631 MX$10.9K

-40.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-62.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$641 SAR 2,407

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-48.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,309 SAR 4,914

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-66.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$805 SAR 3,020

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-61.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,895 SAR 7,110

$1,115 MX$19.3K

69.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

11.34

-61.82%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $184 vs $288 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 21% 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.

Ad Dammam pays 70% more on average, 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: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,210 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,467 in Mexico City – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 109% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,467 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 $1,210 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.