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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,352 per month in Medina vs $1,513 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,802 per month in Medina vs $2,174 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,252 per month in Medina vs $2,835 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Medina is about 11% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Medina sits 2% below the global median, while Mazatlan is 10% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.59 SAR 21.00

$11.62 MX$198

-51.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.04 SAR 120

$49.79 MX$846

-35.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.10 SAR 30.40

$9.23 MX$157

-12.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Cappuccino

$2.71 SAR 10.17

$3.85 MX$65.4

-29.61%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.55 MX$26.28

-47.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$1.16 MX$19.72

-80.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 MX$38.13

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 MX$51.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

$1.71 MX$29.01

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$2.85 MX$48.43

-67.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.93

$1.47 MX$24.90

61.90%

Eggs

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.92 MX$49.59

-30.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.27 SAR 19.80

$8.85 MX$150

-40.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$7.18 MX$122

0.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 SAR 46.99

$8.42 MX$143

48.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$3.02 MX$51.2

-18.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

$1.82 MX$30.91

4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 SAR 8.74

$1.72 MX$29.25

35.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.51

$0.56 MX$9.43

162.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.79 MX$30.48

-24.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$1.45 MX$24.60

-6.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 SAR 3.45

$1.70 MX$28.96

-45.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 SAR 2.69

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.58 SAR 28.46

$4.38 MX$74.4

73.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.70 MX$284

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 MX$37.20

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 MX$59.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.80 MX$13.57

36.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 SAR 141

$44.90 MX$763

-16.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$3.76 MX$63.8

-64.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$2.61 MX$44.42

-37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 SAR 21.48

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.54 MX$26.16

-61.69%

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

$42.4K SAR 159.1K

$23.1K MX$392.2K

83.60%

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

$20.5K SAR 76.9K

$26.2K MX$445.3K

-21.80%

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

$152 SAR 572

$62.0 MX$1,053

145.85%

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

$27.81 SAR 104

$50.3 MX$855

-44.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.8 SAR 341

$45.82 MX$779

98.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.0 SAR 300

$47.57 MX$808

68.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.93 SAR 33.54

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 SAR 50.7

$4.81 MX$81.7

180.87%

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

$291 SAR 1,091

$95.2 MX$1,618

205.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,504 SAR 20.7K

$2,151 MX$36.5K

155.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.97 SAR 143

$70.1 MX$1,191

-45.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 SAR 202

$29.25 MX$497

83.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 SAR 248

$123 MX$2,083

-46.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.1 SAR 260

$88.1 MX$1,497

-21.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$568 SAR 2,131

$845 MX$14.4K

-32.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 SAR 1,966

$660 MX$11.2K

-20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$773 SAR 2,901

$1,284 MX$21.8K

-39.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 SAR 2,139

$850 MX$14.4K

-32.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,295 SAR 8,615

$1,724 MX$29.3K

33.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,320 SAR 4,954

$1,127 MX$19.1K

17.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,348 SAR 5,062

$571 MX$9,696

136.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.17

11.6

-64.05%

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

Last update for Medina: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $568 in Medina versus $845 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 136% 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 $50.0 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $191 vs $253 – 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: $1,352 in Medina, $1,513 in Mazatlan – roughly 12% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,029 per month in Medina and $2,269 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 19% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $291 per month in Medina and $95.2 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 $1,352, than in Mazatlan at $1,513. 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.