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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,677 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $2,608 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $3,540 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 11% below, Mexico City is 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$12.14 MX$206

-45.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$53.9 MX$914

-27.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$11.09 MX$188

-28.31%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$4.10 MX$69.5

-13.17%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.68 MX$28.53

-52.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$1.39 MX$23.55

-79.86%

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)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.85 MX$31.41

-11.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$3.17 MX$53.8

-66.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$2.07 MX$35.13

13.04%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.93 MX$49.67

-16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$12.59 MX$214

-46.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$10.11 MX$172

-27.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$16.09 MX$273

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$3.39 MX$57.5

-29.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.08 MX$35.26

-21.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.12 MX$35.97

-22.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.41 MX$40.95

-34.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$2.13 MX$36.11

-42.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$2.01 MX$34.02

-30.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.55 MX$26.21

-16.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.36 MX$23.15

-56.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$5.77 MX$97.8

28.08%

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)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.37 MX$6.21

191.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$21.18 MX$359

90.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$2.05 MX$34.84

30.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$0.58 MX$9.79

231.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$6.07 MX$103

121.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.55 MX$26.34

-61.94%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$22.9K MX$388.1K

14.23%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$27.2K MX$462.0K

-13.64%

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

$106 SAR 397

$67.4 MX$1,144

56.95%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$30.62 MX$520

8.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$37.24 MX$632

89.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$61.5 MX$1,043

55.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$27.12 MX$460

34.99%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$7.11 MX$121

101.27%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$456 MX$7,739

-23.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$13.7K MX$232.3K

-44.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$74.2 MX$1,259

-24.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$57.0 MX$967

13.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$115 MX$1,958

-26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$122 MX$2,061

-32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$1,148 MX$19.5K

-61.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$709 MX$12.0K

-45.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$2,577 MX$43.7K

-65.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$1,295 MX$22.0K

-51.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$4,005 MX$67.9K

-56.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$2,130 MX$36.1K

-48.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.3

-60.88%

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

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $345 per month, with 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

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

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Dammam and $2,515 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $438 in Dammam versus $1,148 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Dammam versus $1,677 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 Dammam runs roughly 90% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 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 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.