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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,468 per month in Medina vs $1,635 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,836 per month in Medina vs $2,259 in Mazatlan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,204 per month in Medina vs $2,882 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 22%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 SAR 21.39

$10.49 MX$184

-45.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.98 SAR 120

$45.40 MX$795

-29.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.16

$8.44 MX$148

-7.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Cappuccino

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.39 MX$59.3

-28.02%

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

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$1.38 MX$24.17

-40.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 SAR 1.46

$1.03 MX$18.03

-62.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 MX$34.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 MX$44.89

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$1.47 MX$25.65

10.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.66

$2.55 MX$44.67

-61.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$2.09 MX$36.55

14.83%

Eggs

$2.11 SAR 7.93

$2.32 MX$40.59

-9.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.49 SAR 24.36

$7.70 MX$135

-15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.90 SAR 25.88

$6.51 MX$114

5.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.77 SAR 47.89

$7.37 MX$129

73.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.80

$2.69 MX$47.12

-12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

$1.62 MX$28.32

28.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.15

$1.77 MX$31.02

22.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$0.74 MX$13.00

129.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.18

$2.18 MX$38.15

-36.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.65

$2.55 MX$44.56

-40.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 SAR 3.83

$1.26 MX$22.11

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$1.08 MX$18.84

-23.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.44 SAR 27.89

$4.07 MX$71.2

82.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.08 MX$281

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 MX$34.89

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 MX$54.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.07

$0.66 MX$11.58

65.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.59 SAR 141

$39.44 MX$690

-4.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.05

$3.34 MX$58.5

-59.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.83 MX$32.05

-10.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.63 SAR 21.12

$8.16 MX$143

-31.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.44

$1.30 MX$22.75

-50.00%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

$21.3K MX$372.4K

0.49%

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

$21.0K SAR 78.7K

$22.3K MX$390.9K

-6.00%

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

$201 SAR 754

$56.0 MX$980

259.24%

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

$33.28 SAR 125

$21.20 MX$371

56.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 SAR 386

$41.41 MX$725

148.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.5 SAR 290

$42.74 MX$748

81.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.66 SAR 32.47

$16.01 MX$280

-45.91%

Cinema Ticket

$13.29 SAR 49.83

$4.05 MX$70.9

228.15%

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

$291 SAR 1,092

$83.3 MX$1,457

249.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,315 SAR 27.4K

$1,899 MX$33.2K

285.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.64 SAR 141

$60.5 MX$1,059

-37.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 SAR 198

$26.06 MX$456

102.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.1 SAR 248

$105 MX$1,835

-36.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.1 SAR 364

$78.0 MX$1,365

24.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 SAR 1,578

$869 MX$15.2K

-51.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$554 SAR 2,076

$874 MX$15.3K

-36.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 SAR 2,712

$1,404 MX$24.6K

-48.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 SAR 1,563

$1,077 MX$18.8K

-61.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,312 SAR 8,669

$1,633 MX$28.6K

41.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,981

$1,087 MX$19.0K

22.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,349 SAR 5,058

$551 MX$9,641

144.84%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mazatlan: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $421 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 145% 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 $45.00 in Mazatlan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 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: $1,468 in Medina, $1,635 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 $2,452 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 5% less in Medina. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $291 per month in Medina and $83.3 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 $1,468, than in Mazatlan at $1,635. 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.