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 $1,302 per month in Dhahran vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Dhahran vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,697 per month in Dhahran vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Dhahran is about 11% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Dhahran sits 3% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$13.07 MX$229

-59.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.06 SAR 150

$53.8 MX$943

-25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$9.68 MX$170

-24.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.67 SAR 13.79

$3.74 MX$65.6

-1.87%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.62 MX$28.34

-56.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.73

$1.16 MX$20.37

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.51 SAR 5.68

$1.65 MX$28.89

-8.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 SAR 4.43

$2.75 MX$48.30

-57.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

$1.87 MX$32.87

15.51%

Eggs

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$2.50 MX$43.86

-5.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.61

$10.20 MX$179

-35.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.74 SAR 32.83

$8.25 MX$145

5.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SAR 50.9

$11.82 MX$207

14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$3.01 MX$52.8

-27.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.34

$1.81 MX$31.77

-21.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.00 MX$35.07

-21.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

$2.00 MX$35.00

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$2.08 MX$36.56

-42.79%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$2.27 MX$39.85

-56.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 SAR 4.01

$1.46 MX$25.55

-26.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$1.08 MX$18.88

-47.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.76 SAR 17.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.21 SAR 34.59

$4.35 MX$76.3

111.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.39 MX$6.79

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.24 SAR 151

$18.69 MX$328

115.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.33 MX$23.25

3.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 SAR 8.88

$0.28 MX$4.91

742.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.79

$5.25 MX$92.1

152.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.34 MX$23.44

-52.24%

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

$31.8K SAR 119.4K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

63.85%

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

$24.4K SAR 91.7K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

2.51%

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

$106 SAR 397

$40.69 MX$714

159.72%

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

$36.75 SAR 138

$26.87 MX$471

36.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 SAR 271

$30.51 MX$535

136.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$184 SAR 689

$52.8 MX$926

247.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.54 SAR 133

$26.65 MX$467

33.36%

Cinema Ticket

$12.10 SAR 45.42

$6.51 MX$114

85.87%

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

$403 SAR 1,515

$428 MX$7,508

-5.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,692 SAR 36.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-7.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 SAR 224

$57.3 MX$1,004

4.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$74.7 SAR 281

$45.50 MX$798

64.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 SAR 322

$104 MX$1,825

-17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 SAR 360

$108 MX$1,891

-11.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,650

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-56.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,431

$623 MX$10.9K

-38.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$840 SAR 3,153

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-60.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,378

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-48.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,109 SAR 4,165

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-71.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,053 SAR 3,955

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-48.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,884 SAR 10.8K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

177.91%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $1,003 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 178% 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 $40.00 in Dhahran versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $198 vs $292 – 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 12% 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 $1,953 per month in Dhahran and $2,185 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 $1,302 in Dhahran and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 115% 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 $1,302, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $1,302 versus $1,456 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.