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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Jubail versus $2,310 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,282 in Jubail versus $3,174 in Mexico City.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Jubail is 22% below, Mexico City is 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$12.98 MX$223

-48.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$52.6 MX$903

-24.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$9.43 MX$162

-4.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$3.57 MX$61.3

-5.60%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.61 MX$27.55

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.15 MX$19.81

-75.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.70 MX$29.17

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$2.64 MX$45.23

-62.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.90 MX$32.67

-14.74%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.54 MX$43.62

-3.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$10.08 MX$173

-21.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$8.29 MX$142

-15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$11.57 MX$199

-5.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$3.03 MX$52.0

-21.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.71 MX$29.35

1.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$2.05 MX$35.16

-19.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$2.06 MX$35.36

-31.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$2.06 MX$35.43

-43.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$2.17 MX$37.25

-38.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.40 MX$24.08

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.12 MX$19.26

-47.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$4.29 MX$73.7

65.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$0.38 MX$6.55

134.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$19.06 MX$327

33.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$1.38 MX$23.70

184.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$0.28 MX$4.74

557.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$5.42 MX$92.9

218.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.28 MX$21.98

-50.00%

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

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$19.0K MX$325.8K

5.80%

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

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$23.5K MX$402.7K

2.28%

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

$99.1 SAR 372

$41.02 MX$704

141.52%

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

$31.64 SAR 119

$26.92 MX$462

17.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$29.69 MX$510

114.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$52.3 MX$898

69.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$26.23 MX$450

34.85%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$6.18 MX$106

123.30%

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

$203 SAR 762

$427 MX$7,331

-52.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-21.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$56.8 MX$975

-33.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$44.83 MX$769

37.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$105 MX$1,794

-19.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$106 MX$1,819

-24.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$995 MX$17.1K

-59.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$621 MX$10.7K

-54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-69.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-59.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-34.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-38.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$1,107 MX$19.0K

44.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.34

-53.00%

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

Last update for Jubail: June 6, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Jubail and $995 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jubail vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $288 per month, with Jubail 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

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

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Jubail pays 44% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $405 in Jubail versus $995 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,051 per month in Jubail versus $1,447 in Mexico City – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 34% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,051 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.