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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,469 per month in Medina vs $1,631 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,858 per month in Medina vs $2,235 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,248 per month in Medina vs $2,838 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Medina is about 10% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Medina and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Medina by 10%, Mazatlan by 23%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 SAR 20.94

$10.44 MX$182

-46.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.14 SAR 121

$44.32 MX$773

-27.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.22 SAR 30.85

$8.39 MX$146

-2.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Cappuccino

$2.48 SAR 9.31

$3.41 MX$59.5

-27.27%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.88

$1.38 MX$24.13

-44.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.45

$1.05 MX$18.29

-62.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 MX$33.54

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 MX$45.29

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

$1.48 MX$25.73

8.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 SAR 3.49

$2.62 MX$45.76

-64.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.11 MX$36.81

13.27%

Eggs

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.31 MX$40.27

-10.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$7.76 MX$135

-13.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.99 SAR 26.22

$6.64 MX$116

5.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.76 SAR 47.91

$7.36 MX$128

73.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.47 SAR 9.28

$2.57 MX$44.76

-3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

$1.61 MX$28.15

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 SAR 8.07

$1.72 MX$29.95

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$0.78 MX$13.68

116.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.20 MX$38.44

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$2.55 MX$44.53

-43.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.21 MX$21.15

-14.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 SAR 3.26

$1.08 MX$18.91

-19.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.93

$3.99 MX$69.6

86.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.19 MX$282

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 MX$35.53

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.08 MX$53.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.67 MX$11.69

64.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.40 SAR 140

$40.26 MX$702

-7.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$3.50 MX$61.0

-60.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

$1.83 MX$31.84

-7.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.49

$8.38 MX$146

-34.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.30 MX$22.73

-53.85%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.5K

$21.4K MX$373.3K

-2.34%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.2K

$22.6K MX$395.0K

-4.49%

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

$201 SAR 755

$56.5 MX$985

255.82%

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

$32.18 SAR 121

$20.70 MX$361

55.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$40.52 MX$707

153.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.0 SAR 282

$43.14 MX$752

73.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.99 SAR 33.76

$15.62 MX$272

-42.45%

Cinema Ticket

$13.35 SAR 50.1

$3.91 MX$68.2

241.43%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$83.5 MX$1,457

248.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,343 SAR 27.6K

$1,911 MX$33.3K

284.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.82 SAR 138

$62.5 MX$1,091

-41.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 SAR 198

$26.46 MX$462

99.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 SAR 254

$105 MX$1,834

-35.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.4 SAR 366

$78.0 MX$1,360

24.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 SAR 1,591

$869 MX$15.2K

-51.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 SAR 2,138

$891 MX$15.5K

-36.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 SAR 2,667

$1,395 MX$24.3K

-49.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$419 SAR 1,574

$1,075 MX$18.8K

-61.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,306 SAR 8,659

$1,662 MX$29.0K

38.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,364 SAR 5,122

$1,067 MX$18.6K

27.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 SAR 5,022

$566 MX$9,863

136.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

-73.52%

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

Last update for Medina: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Medina versus $869 in Mazatlan. 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 137% 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 $32.00 in Medina versus $44.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $201 vs $249 – 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

Medina vs Mazatlan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,469 in Medina, $1,631 in Mazatlan – roughly 11% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,203 per month in Medina and $2,447 in Mazatlan. 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 8% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $291 per month in Medina and $83.5 in Mazatlan. 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 $1,469, than in Mazatlan at $1,631. 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.