Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,169 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,646 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,767 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,613 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,365 per month in Al-Ula vs $3,580 in Mexico City, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 29% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-Ula sits 15% below the global median, while Mexico City is 20% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$12.11 MX$205

-43.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.74 SAR 138

$52.2 MX$883

-29.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.02 SAR 30.10

$10.90 MX$184

-26.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.74

$4.05 MX$68.5

-16.30%

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

$0.88 SAR 3.30

$1.72 MX$29.00

-48.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.90

$1.38 MX$23.29

-82.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.85 MX$31.33

-10.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$3.22 MX$54.5

-68.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.33

$2.09 MX$35.25

6.22%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.81

$2.91 MX$49.18

-19.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 SAR 27.82

$12.49 MX$211

-40.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 SAR 29.28

$10.11 MX$171

-22.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.87 SAR 48.33

$15.89 MX$269

-19.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.08

$3.31 MX$56.0

-35.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$2.13 MX$35.95

-21.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.19 MX$37.03

-27.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$2.45 MX$41.37

-31.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

$2.19 MX$37.00

-47.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$1.90 MX$32.20

-31.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

$1.62 MX$27.31

-29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.20

$1.35 MX$22.82

-56.30%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 SAR 24.78

$5.43 MX$91.7

21.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.07 SAR 4.02

$0.34 MX$5.75

214.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.60 SAR 137

$21.58 MX$365

69.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 SAR 11.29

$2.04 MX$34.49

47.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$0.58 MX$9.77

218.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.84

$5.97 MX$101

122.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.62 MX$27.31

-62.96%

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

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

$22.8K MX$385.6K

99.96%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$26.7K MX$450.7K

-19.91%

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

$102 SAR 382

$65.2 MX$1,103

56.02%

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

$32.80 SAR 123

$29.87 MX$505

9.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$36.55 MX$618

82.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.1 SAR 312

$61.0 MX$1,031

36.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.63 SAR 138

$26.70 MX$451

37.19%

Cinema Ticket

$13.43 SAR 50.4

$6.85 MX$116

96.06%

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

$342 SAR 1,284

$453 MX$7,664

-24.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

$13.4K MX$226.0K

-50.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 SAR 191

$75.0 MX$1,267

-32.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.3 SAR 223

$55.3 MX$935

7.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.4 SAR 362

$114 MX$1,920

-15.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$123 MX$2,073

-27.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 SAR 2,142

$1,134 MX$19.2K

-49.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,300

$712 MX$12.0K

-51.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$872 SAR 3,273

$2,571 MX$43.5K

-66.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$553 SAR 2,077

$1,311 MX$22.2K

-57.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,347 SAR 8,812

$3,993 MX$67.5K

-41.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,379 SAR 5,179

$2,095 MX$35.4K

-34.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

11.3

-51.59%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Al-Ula versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Al-Ula versus $52.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $345 – making Al-Ula the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,169 in Al-Ula, $1,646 in Mexico City – roughly 41% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,753 per month in Al-Ula and $2,469 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $342 per month in Al-Ula and $453 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Mexico City at $1,646. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,169 in Al-Ula to $1,646 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-Ula. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.