Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Medina Cost of Living Comparison Between Mazatlan and Medina

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,513 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,352 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,174 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,802 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,835 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,252 in Medina, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 12% more than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mazatlan sits 10% above the global median, while Medina is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 MX$198

$5.59 SAR 21.00

107.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.79 MX$846

$32.04 SAR 120

55.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.23 MX$157

$8.10 SAR 30.40

13.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Cappuccino

$3.85 MX$65.4

$2.71 SAR 10.17

42.07%

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

$1.55 MX$26.28

$0.81 SAR 3.03

91.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$19.72

$0.23 SAR 0.86

404.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MX$38.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MX$51.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.01

$1.48 SAR 5.57

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 MX$48.43

$0.94 SAR 3.53

203.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 MX$24.90

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-38.24%

Eggs

$2.92 MX$49.59

$2.03 SAR 7.63

43.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.85 MX$150

$5.27 SAR 19.80

67.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.18 MX$122

$7.22 SAR 27.11

-0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.42 MX$143

$12.52 SAR 46.99

-32.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$2.45 SAR 9.19

23.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 MX$30.91

$1.90 SAR 7.12

-4.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.25

$2.33 SAR 8.74

-26.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 MX$9.43

$1.47 SAR 5.51

-61.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.48

$1.36 SAR 5.12

31.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 MX$24.60

$1.35 SAR 5.08

7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 MX$28.96

$0.92 SAR 3.45

84.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 SAR 2.69

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 MX$74.4

$7.58 SAR 28.46

-42.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 MX$284

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 MX$37.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 MX$59.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.57

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-26.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.90 MX$763

$37.59 SAR 141

19.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.76 MX$63.8

$1.32 SAR 4.94

184.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 MX$44.42

$1.62 SAR 6.08

61.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 SAR 21.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.16

$0.59 SAR 2.22

161.02%

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

$23.1K MX$392.2K

$42.4K SAR 159.1K

-45.53%

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

$26.2K MX$445.3K

$20.5K SAR 76.9K

27.88%

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

$62.0 MX$1,053

$152 SAR 572

-59.33%

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

$50.3 MX$855

$27.81 SAR 104

81.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.82 MX$779

$90.8 SAR 341

-49.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.57 MX$808

$80.0 SAR 300

-40.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 SAR 33.54

Cinema Ticket

$4.81 MX$81.7

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-64.40%

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

$95.2 MX$1,618

$291 SAR 1,091

-67.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,151 MX$36.5K

$5,504 SAR 20.7K

-60.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.1 MX$1,191

$37.97 SAR 143

84.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.25 MX$497

$53.8 SAR 202

-45.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$123 MX$2,083

$66.1 SAR 248

85.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 MX$1,497

$69.1 SAR 260

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 MX$14.4K

$568 SAR 2,131

48.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 MX$11.2K

$524 SAR 1,966

25.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,284 MX$21.8K

$773 SAR 2,901

66.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$850 MX$14.4K

$570 SAR 2,139

49.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,724 MX$29.3K

$2,295 SAR 8,615

-24.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 MX$19.1K

$1,320 SAR 4,954

-14.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 MX$9,696

$1,348 SAR 5,062

-57.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.17

178.18%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: September 5, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $845 in Mazatlan versus $568 in Medina. 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 136% higher in Medina, 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 $50.0 in Mazatlan versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $253 vs $191 – making Medina 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

Mazatlan vs Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,513 in Mazatlan, $1,352 in Medina – roughly 12% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,269 per month in Mazatlan and $2,029 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 19% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.2 per month in Mazatlan and $291 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Mazatlan at $1,513. In Medina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mazatlan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Medina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mazatlan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.