Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Abha Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Abha

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $1,141 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,892 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 30% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Abha is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$226

$5.45 SAR 20.42

138.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$53.5 SAR 201

-0.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$7.66 SAR 28.72

26.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$3.22 SAR 12.08

16.46%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.64 SAR 2.39

145.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.23 SAR 0.86

391.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$0.52 SAR 1.96

421.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$2.01 SAR 7.54

-6.47%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$5.91 SAR 22.15

70.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$8.42 SAR 31.57

-1.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$17.17 SAR 64.4

-30.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$1.82 SAR 6.81

57.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.69 SAR 6.35

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$1.43 SAR 5.35

45.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$1.66 SAR 6.23

18.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$1.41 SAR 5.30

53.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$1.20 SAR 4.52

81.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$0.92 SAR 3.43

51.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.54 SAR 2.04

107.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$9.56 SAR 35.85

-56.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.79 SAR 2.96

-50.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

$39.27 SAR 147

-52.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$2.58 SAR 9.69

-46.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$2.63 SAR 9.87

-88.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$13.37 SAR 50.1

-59.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$0.61 SAR 2.28

121.31%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$24.4K SAR 91.4K

-22.49%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$22.3K SAR 83.7K

3.71%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$81.9 SAR 307

-50.15%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$37.31 SAR 140

-26.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$54.6 SAR 205

-44.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$122 SAR 456

-56.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$26.62 SAR 99.8

-1.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$18.01 SAR 67.6

-65.19%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$233 SAR 874

87.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$5,236 SAR 19.6K

99.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$38.24 SAR 143

48.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$66.8 SAR 250

-32.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$178 SAR 669

-42.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$89.4 SAR 335

20.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$349 SAR 1,309

186.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$263 SAR 985

136.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$559 SAR 2,095

282.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$629 SAR 2,360

96.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

$1,053 SAR 3,949

267.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

$611 SAR 2,293

281.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

$2,393 SAR 8,972

-55.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.67

100.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Last update for Abha: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $349 in Abha. 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 124% higher in Abha, 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $54.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Mexico City vs $206 in Abha – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Mexico City vs Abha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 30% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,711 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 39% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Mexico City and $54.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,141, than in Mexico City at $1,484. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,141 versus $1,484 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Abha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.