Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,857 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,503 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 20% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Ad Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.45 SAR 27.99

75.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$53.0 SAR 199

1.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.92 SAR 29.73

22.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.55 SAR 13.34

5.35%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.92 SAR 3.44

76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.38 SAR 1.42

205.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.64 SAR 6.15

0.61%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$1.42 SAR 5.32

93.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$2.12 SAR 7.96

-11.79%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$2.31 SAR 8.68

8.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$5.99 SAR 22.48

70.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.32 SAR 27.49

12.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.07 SAR 37.81

17.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$2.09 SAR 7.85

44.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.55 SAR 5.82

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$1.39 SAR 5.23

43.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$1.65 SAR 6.20

21.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$1.28 SAR 4.79

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$1.37 SAR 5.15

65.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$1.29 SAR 4.86

13.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.55 SAR 2.08

96.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.12 SAR 15.47

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 SAR 7.47

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$7.76 SAR 29.14

-43.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.94 SAR 3.51

-58.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$39.30 SAR 148

-52.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-59.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$2.73 SAR 10.26

-89.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-61.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$0.61 SAR 2.29

119.67%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$22.2K SAR 83.5K

-12.66%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$20.9K SAR 78.3K

14.27%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$118 SAR 444

-65.62%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$38.60 SAR 145

-30.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$63.4 SAR 238

-51.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$70.7 SAR 266

-25.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$30.89 SAR 116

-13.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$15.30 SAR 57.5

-57.45%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$427 SAR 1,602

0.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$8,216 SAR 30.9K

27.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$68.0 SAR 255

-15.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$67.8 SAR 255

-32.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$90.5 SAR 340

14.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$86.1 SAR 323

25.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$452 SAR 1,697

122.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$376 SAR 1,413

65.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$792 SAR 2,976

166.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$636 SAR 2,388

91.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$1,320 SAR 4,956

194.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$812 SAR 3,051

150.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,502 SAR 5,640

-30.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.33

161.89%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $53.0 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $185 per month, with Ad Dammam cheaper across the board.

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 Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 45% lower in Ad Dammam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $452 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,211 in Ad Dammam – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 110% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,211 in Ad Dammam versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,211 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Ad Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.