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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,872 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,533 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Ad Dammam is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.31 SAR 27.42

80.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$53.6 SAR 201

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.98 SAR 29.94

18.05%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.86

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.70 SAR 13.89

-4.05%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.92 SAR 3.43

76.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.35 SAR 1.30

217.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.71 SAR 6.43

-0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.45 SAR 5.43

87.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.09 SAR 7.85

-8.61%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.24 SAR 8.42

13.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.06 SAR 22.73

65.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.15 SAR 26.85

13.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$9.62 SAR 36.12

20.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.11 SAR 7.93

40.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.50 SAR 5.62

20.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.38 SAR 5.20

45.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.66 SAR 6.24

22.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.28 SAR 4.80

65.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.33 SAR 4.99

70.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.35 SAR 5.06

3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.55 SAR 2.07

105.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.92 SAR 29.73

-46.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.89 SAR 3.36

-57.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$40.16 SAR 151

-52.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.29 SAR 12.35

-58.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.65 SAR 9.96

-89.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-58.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.64 SAR 2.42

103.13%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$23.1K SAR 86.6K

-18.98%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.3K SAR 79.8K

8.80%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$117 SAR 438

-64.98%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$38.34 SAR 144

-30.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$63.5 SAR 238

-52.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$70.9 SAR 266

-26.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$30.51 SAR 114

-12.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$15.54 SAR 58.3

-59.46%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$415 SAR 1,559

5.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$8,170 SAR 30.7K

27.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$66.9 SAR 251

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$68.2 SAR 256

-34.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$90.8 SAR 341

13.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$85.5 SAR 321

23.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$447 SAR 1,678

128.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$375 SAR 1,408

68.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$800 SAR 3,002

167.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$641 SAR 2,407

93.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,309 SAR 4,914

198.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$805 SAR 3,020

156.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,895 SAR 7,110

-41.14%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 70% 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 $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $184, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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 21% 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, Ad Dammam earns 70% less. 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,210 in Ad Dammam – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 109% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,210 in Ad Dammam versus $1,467 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 $1,210 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.