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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 29% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 22% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$13.07 MX$229

-62.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$53.8 MX$943

-25.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$9.68 MX$170

-4.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.74 MX$65.6

-14.71%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.62 MX$28.34

-43.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$1.16 MX$20.37

-75.00%

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)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.65 MX$28.89

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$2.75 MX$48.30

-67.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.87 MX$32.87

20.86%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.50 MX$43.86

18.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$10.20 MX$179

-32.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$8.25 MX$145

4.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$11.82 MX$207

14.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$3.01 MX$52.8

-23.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.81 MX$31.77

-13.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$2.00 MX$35.07

-6.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.00 MX$35.00

1.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$2.08 MX$36.56

-42.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$2.27 MX$39.85

-46.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.46 MX$25.55

-28.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$1.08 MX$18.88

-38.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$4.35 MX$76.3

82.53%

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)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.39 MX$6.79

251.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$18.69 MX$328

113.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.33 MX$23.25

76.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$0.28 MX$4.91

553.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$5.25 MX$92.1

101.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.34 MX$23.44

-55.97%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

35.54%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-12.21%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$40.69 MX$714

89.38%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$26.87 MX$471

31.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$30.51 MX$535

120.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$52.8 MX$926

60.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$26.65 MX$467

30.92%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$6.51 MX$114

186.94%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$428 MX$7,508

-6.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-55.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$57.3 MX$1,004

-61.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$45.50 MX$798

39.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$104 MX$1,825

-43.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$108 MX$1,891

-52.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-77.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$623 MX$10.9K

-53.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-67.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-14.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$3,885 MX$68.1K

64.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$2,033 MX$35.7K

13.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$1,038 MX$18.2K

4.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.34

-51.50%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 5% 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 Mecca vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $292 per month, with Mecca 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

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

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 5% higher in Mecca, 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: $226 in Mecca versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,456 in Mexico City – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 113% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.