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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,457 per month in Medina vs $1,621 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,845 per month in Medina vs $2,216 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,232 per month in Medina vs $2,811 in Mazatlan, rent included.

Medina is about 10% cheaper than Mazatlan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Medina and Mazatlan sit above the global median – Medina by 8%, Mazatlan by 21%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$10.54 MX$181

-48.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.16 SAR 121

$45.84 MX$787

-29.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.60

$8.44 MX$145

-6.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Cappuccino

$2.43 SAR 9.12

$3.36 MX$57.7

-27.68%

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

$0.76 SAR 2.86

$1.39 MX$23.83

-45.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.44

$1.04 MX$17.89

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MX$34.96

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 MX$44.43

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.48 MX$25.46

10.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 SAR 3.40

$2.52 MX$43.30

-63.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$2.15 MX$36.94

6.51%

Eggs

$2.04 SAR 7.67

$2.28 MX$39.13

-10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.52 SAR 24.45

$7.84 MX$135

-16.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.31 SAR 27.42

$6.56 MX$113

11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 SAR 48.04

$7.50 MX$129

70.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.41 SAR 9.05

$2.60 MX$44.64

-7.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.57 MX$26.98

36.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 SAR 8.05

$1.78 MX$30.49

20.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$0.78 MX$13.41

110.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$2.16 MX$36.99

-37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

$2.59 MX$44.43

-44.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 SAR 3.71

$1.26 MX$21.56

-21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.08 MX$18.55

-22.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.56 SAR 28.37

$3.99 MX$68.5

89.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.36 MX$281

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$34.51

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 MX$50.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.66 MX$11.29

65.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.91 SAR 142

$39.00 MX$669

-2.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.90

$3.39 MX$58.2

-61.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$1.83 MX$31.38

-6.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 SAR 20.50

$8.19 MX$141

-33.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.27 MX$21.82

-49.61%

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

$21.2K SAR 79.4K

$21.0K MX$360.6K

0.68%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.4K

$22.3K MX$383.5K

-4.13%

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

$201 SAR 755

$54.9 MX$942

266.22%

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

$32.95 SAR 124

$20.85 MX$358

58.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 SAR 382

$41.00 MX$704

148.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 291

$42.14 MX$723

84.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.95 SAR 33.59

$15.64 MX$268

-42.77%

Cinema Ticket

$13.56 SAR 50.9

$3.87 MX$66.5

250.39%

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

$287 SAR 1,078

$85.4 MX$1,466

236.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,365 SAR 27.6K

$1,908 MX$32.7K

286.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.93 SAR 139

$62.5 MX$1,073

-40.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 SAR 196

$26.08 MX$448

100.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.3 SAR 253

$104 MX$1,784

-35.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 SAR 362

$78.5 MX$1,347

23.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,627

$897 MX$15.4K

-51.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 SAR 2,114

$864 MX$14.8K

-34.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 SAR 2,723

$1,386 MX$23.8K

-47.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$418 SAR 1,569

$1,101 MX$18.9K

-62.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,279 SAR 8,553

$1,655 MX$28.4K

37.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,336 SAR 5,013

$1,105 MX$19.0K

20.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,321 SAR 4,957

$548 MX$9,406

141.08%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Medina versus $897 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 141% 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 $46.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $248 – 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: $1,457 in Medina, $1,621 in Mazatlan – roughly 11% apart. Mazatlan costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,186 per month in Medina and $2,432 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 3% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $287 per month in Medina and $85.4 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 $1,457, than in Mazatlan at $1,621. 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.