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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,866 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,516 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 38% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Ad Dammam is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$8.09 SAR 30.39

50.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$34.39 SAR 129

56.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.57 SAR 24.69

68.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.10 SAR 11.65

32.26%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.79 SAR 2.95

112.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.20 SAR 0.75

595.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.82 SAR 6.84

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.33 SAR 5.01

138.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.92 SAR 7.21

7.81%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.13 SAR 7.98

37.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$7.39 SAR 27.77

70.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.82 SAR 29.36

29.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.72 SAR 47.79

26.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.18 SAR 8.17

55.50%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.63 SAR 6.11

27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.59 SAR 5.96

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.62 SAR 6.09

48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.07 SAR 4.02

99.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.20 SAR 4.52

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.28 SAR 4.80

21.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.58 SAR 2.18

134.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.09 SAR 15.37

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$7.80 SAR 29.30

-26.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.97 SAR 3.63

-61.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$35.89 SAR 135

-40.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.60 SAR 9.75

-21.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$2.60 SAR 9.78

-77.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$13.41 SAR 50.4

-54.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.64 SAR 2.42

142.19%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$67.7K SAR 254.2K

-66.21%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$21.3K SAR 79.9K

27.98%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$128 SAR 482

-47.44%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$33.46 SAR 126

-8.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$62.1 SAR 233

-40.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$77.8 SAR 292

-21.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$28.85 SAR 108

-6.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$13.40 SAR 50.3

-46.94%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$417 SAR 1,566

9.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,868 SAR 29.5K

74.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$41.40 SAR 155

79.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$49.15 SAR 185

15.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$95.8 SAR 360

20.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$90.5 SAR 340

34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$567 SAR 2,128

102.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$369 SAR 1,388

91.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,007 SAR 3,781

155.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$663 SAR 2,490

95.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,379 SAR 5,179

190.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$595 SAR 2,235

257.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,532 SAR 5,754

-29.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.9

91.53%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 42% 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 $34.00 in Ad Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $200 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 38% 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 42% 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $567 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,215 in Ad Dammam – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Ad Dammam versus $1,677 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 $1,215 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 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.