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: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,466 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $2,325 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $3,184 in Mexico City.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 17% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dammam is 9% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$13.30 MX$231

-49.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$53.8 MX$932

-26.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$9.42 MX$163

-14.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.59 MX$62.3

-0.84%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.62 MX$28.13

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$1.12 MX$19.49

-73.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.64 MX$28.37

4.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$2.65 MX$46.00

-62.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.96 MX$33.99

20.92%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.54 MX$44.08

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$9.97 MX$173

-32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$8.39 MX$145

-10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$11.83 MX$205

8.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.86 MX$49.62

-20.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.73 MX$30.05

-4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.99 MX$34.50

-20.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.05 MX$35.51

-23.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$2.06 MX$35.64

-40.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$2.28 MX$39.54

-42.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.45 MX$25.05

-10.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$1.09 MX$18.83

-42.20%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$4.27 MX$73.9

66.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.38 MX$6.67

189.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$18.73 MX$325

111.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$1.39 MX$24.09

96.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$0.30 MX$5.26

540.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$5.41 MX$93.8

148.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.34 MX$23.22

-52.24%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$18.9K MX$326.7K

38.92%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$23.2K MX$402.0K

-0.32%

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

$106 SAR 397

$40.30 MX$698

162.61%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$27.15 MX$471

22.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$29.46 MX$510

139.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$52.7 MX$914

82.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$26.17 MX$454

38.63%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$6.18 MX$107

140.45%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$441 MX$7,637

-21.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$10.7K MX$185.4K

-30.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$57.2 MX$992

-1.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$45.04 MX$781

41.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$103 MX$1,793

-18.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$109 MX$1,884

-24.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$1,000 MX$17.3K

-57.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$632 MX$11.0K

-39.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$2,141 MX$37.1K

-59.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$1,253 MX$21.7K

-49.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$3,745 MX$64.9K

-52.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$2,381 MX$41.3K

-53.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 MX$18.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.34

-61.02%

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

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $54 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $286 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $2,199 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: $428 in Dammam versus $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Dammam versus $1,466 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 Dammam runs roughly 111% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,466 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.