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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,332 per month in Dhahran vs $1,467 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Dhahran vs $2,371 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Dhahran vs $3,274 in Mexico City, rent included.

Dhahran is about 9% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Dhahran sits 1% below the global median, while Mexico City is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$13.18 MX$228

-60.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$53.9 MX$932

-24.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.78

$9.42 MX$163

-24.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$3.77 SAR 14.14

$3.55 MX$61.4

6.20%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.62 MX$27.98

-54.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$1.11 MX$19.27

-84.68%

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)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.70 MX$29.43

-12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$2.72 MX$47.02

-56.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$1.91 MX$33.07

14.14%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.54 MX$43.86

-5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.62

$10.03 MX$174

-31.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 SAR 33.18

$8.09 MX$140

9.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$11.62 MX$201

16.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.97 MX$51.3

-24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.81 MX$31.24

-23.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$2.01 MX$34.82

-18.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.03 MX$35.20

-32.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$2.12 MX$36.75

-41.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$2.27 MX$39.25

-60.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.40 MX$24.22

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$1.13 MX$19.55

-49.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 SAR 35.72

$4.27 MX$73.9

122.95%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.38 MX$6.62

176.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.72 SAR 153

$19.18 MX$332

112.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.38 MX$23.79

-2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$0.28 MX$4.78

775.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$5.45 MX$94.2

148.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.30 MX$22.55

-50.00%

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

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

73.64%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

4.93%

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

$104 SAR 391

$40.86 MX$707

154.85%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$26.81 MX$464

34.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 SAR 276

$29.96 MX$518

145.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 688

$52.0 MX$900

252.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$26.84 MX$464

34.13%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 SAR 44.66

$6.30 MX$109

88.89%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$436 MX$7,544

-5.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-4.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$56.7 MX$980

4.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 SAR 288

$44.38 MX$768

72.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 SAR 317

$103 MX$1,780

-17.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 SAR 367

$106 MX$1,825

-7.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-57.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,436

$631 MX$10.9K

-39.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,138

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-60.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-50.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$3,903 MX$67.5K

-71.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-48.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

$1,115 MX$19.3K

159.48%

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 Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $1,022 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.

Salaries run about 159% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Dhahran versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $288 – making Dhahran 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

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

Mexico City costs about 10% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,998 per month in Dhahran and $2,201 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,332 in Dhahran and $1,467 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,332 versus $1,467 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dhahran. 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.