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: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 21% below, Mexico City is 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$13.18 MX$228

-62.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$53.9 MX$932

-26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$9.42 MX$163

-0.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$3.55 MX$61.4

-10.99%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.62 MX$27.98

-46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$1.11 MX$19.27

-73.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.70 MX$29.43

-3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$2.72 MX$47.02

-67.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.91 MX$33.07

17.28%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.54 MX$43.86

17.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$10.03 MX$174

-29.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$8.09 MX$140

3.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$11.62 MX$201

15.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.97 MX$51.3

-22.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.81 MX$31.24

-11.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$2.01 MX$34.82

-11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$2.03 MX$35.20

0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$2.12 MX$36.75

-40.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$2.27 MX$39.25

-45.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.40 MX$24.22

-24.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$1.13 MX$19.55

-39.82%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$4.27 MX$73.9

87.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.38 MX$6.62

244.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$19.18 MX$332

111.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$1.38 MX$23.79

76.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$0.28 MX$4.78

553.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$5.45 MX$94.2

94.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.30 MX$22.55

-53.85%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$18.7K MX$323.2K

43.19%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-7.30%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$40.86 MX$707

90.04%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$26.81 MX$464

31.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$29.96 MX$518

119.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$52.0 MX$900

68.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$26.84 MX$464

30.29%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$6.30 MX$109

195.08%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$436 MX$7,544

-7.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-55.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$56.7 MX$980

-60.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$44.38 MX$768

40.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$103 MX$1,780

-42.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$106 MX$1,825

-51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-77.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$631 MX$10.9K

-55.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-68.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-17.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$3,903 MX$67.5K

66.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$2,064 MX$35.7K

8.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-3.60%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Mecca vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $288 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mexico City earns 4% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $231 in Mecca versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Mecca versus $1,467 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 Mecca runs roughly 112% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,467 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 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.