Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,168 per month in Arar vs $1,677 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,788 per month in Arar vs $2,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,407 per month in Arar vs $3,540 in Mexico City, rent included.

Arar is about 30% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Arar sits 15% below the global median, while Mexico City is 22% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.10 SAR 26.68

$12.14 MX$206

-41.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.60 SAR 134

$53.9 MX$914

-33.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 SAR 31.81

$11.09 MX$188

-23.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.92

Cappuccino

$3.46 SAR 12.99

$4.10 MX$69.5

-15.61%

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

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.68 MX$28.53

-43.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 SAR 1.01

$1.39 MX$23.55

-80.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$1.85 MX$31.41

-19.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 SAR 4.13

$3.17 MX$53.8

-65.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 SAR 8.34

$2.07 MX$35.13

7.25%

Eggs

$2.69 SAR 10.08

$2.93 MX$49.67

-8.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 SAR 24.41

$12.59 MX$214

-48.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.19 SAR 27.01

$10.11 MX$172

-28.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.11 SAR 53.0

$16.09 MX$273

-12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$3.39 MX$57.5

-30.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 SAR 6.70

$2.08 MX$35.26

-14.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$2.12 MX$35.97

-35.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$2.41 MX$40.95

-26.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 SAR 3.84

$2.13 MX$36.11

-52.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$2.01 MX$34.02

-31.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 SAR 4.60

$1.55 MX$26.21

-21.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 SAR 1.85

$1.36 MX$23.15

-63.97%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.89 SAR 10.86

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SAR 26.89

$5.77 MX$97.8

24.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 SAR 3.69

$0.37 MX$6.21

164.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.62 SAR 145

$21.18 MX$359

82.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 SAR 9.42

$2.05 MX$34.84

22.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.18

$0.58 MX$9.79

229.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.16 SAR 45.65

$6.07 MX$103

100.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.55 MX$26.34

-58.71%

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

$51.2K SAR 192.2K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

123.75%

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

$19.5K SAR 73.3K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-28.34%

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

$115 SAR 432

$67.4 MX$1,144

70.72%

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

$30.25 SAR 114

$30.62 MX$520

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 284

$37.24 MX$632

102.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.3 SAR 354

$61.5 MX$1,043

53.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.93 SAR 142

$27.12 MX$460

39.86%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 SAR 44.67

$7.11 MX$121

67.23%

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

$304 SAR 1,140

$456 MX$7,739

-33.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 SAR 22.2K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-56.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 SAR 192

$74.2 MX$1,259

-30.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$57.0 MX$967

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 SAR 308

$115 MX$1,958

-28.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 SAR 379

$122 MX$2,061

-16.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$608 SAR 2,283

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-47.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$314 SAR 1,181

$709 MX$12.0K

-55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$791 SAR 2,972

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-69.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$591 SAR 2,220

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-54.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 SAR 7,979

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-46.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,306 SAR 4,905

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-38.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

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 Arar: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $608 in Arar versus $1,148 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 $36.00 in Arar versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $345 – making Arar 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,168 in Arar, $1,677 in Mexico City – roughly 44% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,752 per month in Arar and $2,515 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 82% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Arar and $456 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,168, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Arar 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 $1,168 in Arar to $1,677 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 Arar. 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.