Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Khobar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Khobar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,332 in Al Khobar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,100 in Al Khobar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,868 in Al Khobar.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 9% more expensive than in Al Khobar, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Al Khobar 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.82 SAR 25.59

91.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$54.0 SAR 203

-0.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.19 SAR 30.77

18.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$4.26 SAR 16.00

-12.21%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.96 SAR 3.61

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.49 SAR 1.83

136.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.40 SAR 5.24

96.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.32 SAR 8.72

-19.40%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.88 SAR 10.81

-13.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.94 SAR 26.04

46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$9.12 SAR 34.26

-9.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$12.61 SAR 47.33

-6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.54 SAR 9.53

18.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.72 SAR 6.45

5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.13 SAR 8.00

-6.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.57 SAR 5.88

27.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.41 SAR 5.30

47.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.72 SAR 6.47

31.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.70 SAR 6.38

-14.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.60 SAR 2.24

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.70 SAR 10.13

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 SAR 5.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 SAR 7.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$6.51 SAR 24.44

-33.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.92 SAR 3.44

-57.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$60.1 SAR 225

-68.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.26 SAR 8.48

-41.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-79.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.60 SAR 24.78

-20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.65 SAR 2.43

106.15%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

-9.16%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

4.81%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$124 SAR 466

-67.19%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$34.51 SAR 130

-22.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$80.7 SAR 303

-62.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$109 SAR 410

-51.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$36.80 SAR 138

-27.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$17.36 SAR 65.2

-62.50%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$306 SAR 1,147

40.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,541 SAR 28.3K

39.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$63.4 SAR 238

-9.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$69.8 SAR 262

-34.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$100 SAR 376

3.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$80.4 SAR 302

34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$433 SAR 1,627

131.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$401 SAR 1,505

55.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$1,059 SAR 3,977

99.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$813 SAR 3,054

49.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,442 SAR 9,169

59.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,423 SAR 5,344

42.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,856 SAR 6,970

-44.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.84

195.31%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Khobar: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $433 in Al Khobar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 79% 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 Al Khobar. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $217, with Al Khobar 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 Al Khobar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Khobar wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Al Khobar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Al Khobar. 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 $433 in Al Khobar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Al Khobar runs roughly 221% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $306 in Al Khobar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,332 in Al Khobar versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Al Khobar but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al Khobar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Al Khobar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,332 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Al Khobar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Al Khobar 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 Al Khobar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.