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: $974 in Mecca versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 41% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mecca is 29% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$12.11 MX$206

-61.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$52.2 MX$887

-48.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$10.90 MX$185

-38.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$4.05 MX$68.8

-35.31%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$1.72 MX$29.13

-61.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$1.38 MX$23.40

-83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.85 MX$31.48

-3.24%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$3.22 MX$54.7

-70.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$2.09 MX$35.42

4.78%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.91 MX$49.41

-17.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$12.49 MX$212

-50.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$10.11 MX$172

-18.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$15.89 MX$270

-20.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$3.31 MX$56.3

-40.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$2.13 MX$36.12

-21.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.19 MX$37.20

-31.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$2.45 MX$41.57

-31.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$2.19 MX$37.18

-47.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.90 MX$32.35

-28.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.62 MX$27.44

-36.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$1.35 MX$22.92

-62.96%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$5.43 MX$92.1

22.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.34 MX$5.77

294.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$2.04 MX$34.65

-11.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$0.58 MX$9.82

201.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$5.97 MX$101

124.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.62 MX$27.44

-62.96%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$22.8K MX$387.4K

105.89%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$26.7K MX$452.8K

-19.84%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$65.2 MX$1,108

16.32%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$29.87 MX$507

17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$36.55 MX$621

84.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$61.0 MX$1,036

28.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$26.70 MX$453

28.73%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$6.85 MX$116

76.35%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$453 MX$7,700

-13.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$13.4K MX$227.1K

-65.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$75.0 MX$1,273

-70.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$55.3 MX$939

5.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$114 MX$1,929

-57.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$123 MX$2,083

-58.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-49.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$712 MX$12.1K

-55.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-41.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-61.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$3,993 MX$67.8K

61.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$2,095 MX$35.6K

9.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$1,047 MX$17.8K

3.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.3

-53.54%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Mecca vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $345 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, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 3% 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: $576 in Mecca versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Mecca versus $1,646 in Mexico City – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,646 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 69% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.