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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,635 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,468 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,259 per month in Mazatlan vs $1,836 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,882 per month in Mazatlan vs $2,204 in Medina, rent included.

Mazatlan costs about 11% more than Medina, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Mazatlan and Medina sit above the global median – Mazatlan by 22%, Medina by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$184

$5.70 SAR 21.39

84.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.40 MX$795

$31.98 SAR 120

41.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.44 MX$148

$7.78 SAR 29.16

8.48%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Cappuccino

$3.39 MX$59.3

$2.44 SAR 9.14

38.93%

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

$1.38 MX$24.17

$0.82 SAR 3.06

68.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$18.03

$0.39 SAR 1.46

164.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MX$34.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.65

$1.63 SAR 6.12

-9.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 MX$44.67

$0.98 SAR 3.66

160.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.55

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-12.92%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.59

$2.11 SAR 7.93

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$135

$6.49 SAR 24.36

18.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.51 MX$114

$6.90 SAR 25.88

-5.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.37 MX$129

$12.77 SAR 47.89

-42.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.69 MX$47.12

$2.35 SAR 8.80

14.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 MX$28.32

$2.08 SAR 7.81

-22.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$31.02

$2.17 SAR 8.15

-18.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 MX$13.00

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-56.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.15

$1.38 SAR 5.18

57.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.56

$1.51 SAR 5.65

68.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.26 MX$22.11

$1.02 SAR 3.83

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.83 SAR 3.10

30.12%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.07 MX$71.2

$7.44 SAR 27.89

-45.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.08 MX$281

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.58

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-39.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.44 MX$690

$37.59 SAR 141

4.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 MX$58.5

$1.35 SAR 5.05

147.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 MX$32.05

$1.64 SAR 6.14

11.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.16 MX$143

$5.63 SAR 21.12

44.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.75

$0.65 SAR 2.44

100.00%

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

$21.3K MX$372.4K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-0.49%

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

$22.3K MX$390.9K

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

6.38%

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

$56.0 MX$980

$201 SAR 754

-72.16%

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

$21.20 MX$371

$33.28 SAR 125

-36.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.41 MX$725

$103 SAR 386

-59.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.74 MX$748

$77.5 SAR 290

-44.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.01 MX$280

$8.66 SAR 32.47

84.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.05 MX$70.9

$13.29 SAR 49.83

-69.53%

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

$83.3 MX$1,457

$291 SAR 1,092

-71.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,899 MX$33.2K

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

-74.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 MX$1,059

$37.64 SAR 141

60.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.06 MX$456

$52.7 SAR 198

-50.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,835

$66.1 SAR 248

58.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 MX$1,365

$97.1 SAR 364

-19.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 MX$15.2K

$421 SAR 1,578

106.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 MX$15.3K

$554 SAR 2,076

57.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,404 MX$24.6K

$723 SAR 2,712

94.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,077 MX$18.8K

$417 SAR 1,563

158.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,633 MX$28.6K

$2,312 SAR 8,669

-29.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,087 MX$19.0K

$1,328 SAR 4,981

-18.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$551 MX$9,641

$1,349 SAR 5,058

-59.16%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Medina: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $869 in Mazatlan versus $421 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 145% 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 $45.00 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: $1,635 in Mazatlan, $1,468 in Medina – roughly 11% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,452 per month in Mazatlan and $2,203 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 5% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $83.3 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 $1,468, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. 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.