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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,637 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,489 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,241 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,858 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,227 in Medina, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 10% more than Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mazatlan and Medina sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 23%, Medina by 12%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.66 MX$183

$5.72 SAR 21.46

86.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.24 MX$761

$31.54 SAR 118

40.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 MX$137

$7.96 SAR 29.88

0.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$3.26 MX$56.2

$2.48 SAR 9.32

31.45%

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

$1.42 MX$24.47

$0.81 SAR 3.04

75.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.71

$0.38 SAR 1.44

186.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MX$35.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 MX$44.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.38

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-15.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.63 MX$45.26

$0.94 SAR 3.53

179.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.72

$2.29 SAR 8.61

-6.99%

Eggs

$2.28 MX$39.31

$2.14 SAR 8.03

6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 MX$137

$6.70 SAR 25.15

18.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 MX$111

$7.08 SAR 26.57

-9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.39 MX$127

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-41.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.59 MX$44.49

$2.33 SAR 8.74

11.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$27.18

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-25.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.67

$2.14 SAR 8.04

-16.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.80 MX$13.79

$1.65 SAR 6.20

-51.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.82

$1.37 SAR 5.13

64.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 MX$43.63

$1.43 SAR 5.37

77.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.21 MX$20.81

$1.03 SAR 3.85

17.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.42

$0.81 SAR 3.04

32.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 MX$66.5

$7.58 SAR 28.45

-48.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.26 MX$280

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 MX$53.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 MX$12.38

$1.05 SAR 3.96

-31.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.43 MX$696

$37.14 SAR 139

8.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 MX$58.2

$1.36 SAR 5.10

148.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 MX$31.80

$1.64 SAR 6.16

12.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.42 MX$145

$5.46 SAR 20.50

54.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.45

$0.64 SAR 2.39

103.13%

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

$21.3K MX$367.1K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

1.10%

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

$22.6K MX$388.0K

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

6.61%

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

$54.9 MX$944

$207 SAR 775

-73.44%

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

$21.13 MX$364

$32.61 SAR 122

-35.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.00 MX$705

$105 SAR 393

-60.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.69 MX$734

$76.8 SAR 288

-44.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.12 MX$277

$8.75 SAR 32.83

84.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MX$69.7

$13.37 SAR 50.2

-69.71%

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

$85.1 MX$1,464

$293 SAR 1,101

-71.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 MX$32.7K

$7,548 SAR 28.3K

-74.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 MX$1,064

$37.97 SAR 142

62.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.55 MX$457

$54.0 SAR 203

-50.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,806

$66.1 SAR 248

58.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.5 MX$1,351

$97.3 SAR 365

-19.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 MX$15.3K

$433 SAR 1,625

104.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$886 MX$15.2K

$558 SAR 2,095

58.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 MX$24.3K

$708 SAR 2,658

99.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,084 MX$18.6K

$405 SAR 1,520

167.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,692 MX$29.1K

$2,295 SAR 8,611

-26.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,091 MX$18.8K

$1,338 SAR 5,019

-18.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$568 MX$9,773

$1,323 SAR 4,966

-57.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

277.67%

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

Last update for Mazatlan: June 16, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $888 in Mazatlan versus $433 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 133% 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 $44.00 in Mazatlan versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $248 vs $199 – 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: $1,637 in Mazatlan, $1,489 in Medina – roughly 10% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,455 per month in Mazatlan and $2,233 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 9% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $85.1 per month in Mazatlan and $293 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 $1,489, than in Mazatlan at $1,637. 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.