Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Khobar and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,120 in Al Khobar versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,897 in Al Khobar versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Al Khobar costs roughly 8% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Al Khobar 0% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.34

$13.18 MX$228

-48.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 SAR 197

$53.9 MX$932

-2.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 SAR 30.20

$9.42 MX$163

-14.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.02 SAR 7.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

Cappuccino

$4.32 SAR 16.23

$3.55 MX$61.4

21.69%

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

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$1.62 MX$27.98

-38.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$1.11 MX$19.27

-54.05%

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)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

$1.70 MX$29.43

-0.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$2.72 MX$47.02

-49.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.75

$1.91 MX$33.07

21.99%

Eggs

$2.91 SAR 10.91

$2.54 MX$43.86

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.72

$10.03 MX$174

-34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.17 SAR 34.43

$8.09 MX$140

13.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.70 SAR 47.65

$11.62 MX$201

9.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 SAR 9.38

$2.97 MX$51.3

-15.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

$1.81 MX$31.24

-3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.90

$2.01 MX$34.82

4.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$2.03 MX$35.20

-19.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.38

$2.12 MX$36.75

-32.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$2.27 MX$39.25

-26.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 SAR 6.59

$1.40 MX$24.22

25.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 SAR 2.33

$1.13 MX$19.55

-45.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 SAR 7.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$4.27 MX$73.9

58.08%

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)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$0.38 MX$6.62

142.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.6 SAR 231

$19.18 MX$332

221.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.38 MX$23.79

63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.28 MX$4.78

364.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$5.45 MX$94.2

20.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.30 MX$22.55

-53.85%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

13.22%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.1K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-2.01%

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

$123 SAR 461

$40.86 MX$707

200.32%

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

$34.93 SAR 131

$26.81 MX$464

30.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.1 SAR 301

$29.96 MX$518

167.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$107 SAR 400

$52.0 MX$900

104.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.08 SAR 135

$26.84 MX$464

34.43%

Cinema Ticket

$17.66 SAR 66.3

$6.30 MX$109

180.32%

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

$307 SAR 1,151

$436 MX$7,544

-29.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,553 SAR 28.3K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-27.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 SAR 239

$56.7 MX$980

12.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$70.0 SAR 263

$44.38 MX$768

57.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.7 SAR 370

$103 MX$1,780

-4.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$106 MX$1,825

-23.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-57.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$397 SAR 1,489

$631 MX$10.9K

-37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,031 SAR 3,869

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-51.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 SAR 2,965

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-36.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,419 SAR 9,077

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-38.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,457 SAR 5,468

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-29.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,866 SAR 7,005

$1,115 MX$19.3K

67.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.84

11.34

-66.14%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Al Khobar and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Al Khobar vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $217 vs $288 per month, with Al Khobar 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

Al Khobar vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Al Khobar pays 67% 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: $433 in Al Khobar versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 221% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $307 in Al Khobar versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,344 in Al Khobar versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,344 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.