Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-Ula Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-Ula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,197 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,832 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,467 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 23% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Al-Ula is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.71 SAR 25.18

96.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$44.97 SAR 169

19.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.82 SAR 29.34

20.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.74 SAR 14.02

-5.08%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.80 SAR 3.02

102.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.29 SAR 1.07

282.76%

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

$1.68 SAR 6.31

1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.95 SAR 3.56

186.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-17.32%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.40 SAR 9.01

5.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.67 SAR 25.02

50.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.71 SAR 28.94

4.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.05 SAR 48.97

-10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.27 SAR 8.52

30.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.59 SAR 5.95

13.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.68 SAR 6.30

19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.56 SAR 5.85

30.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.24 SAR 4.66

70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.27 SAR 4.75

78.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.23 SAR 4.63

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.60 SAR 2.24

88.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.19 SAR 26.98

-40.61%

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

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-65.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$40.67 SAR 153

-52.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.62 SAR 9.82

-47.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.89 SAR 7.10

-85.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-59.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.61 SAR 2.29

113.11%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

-30.64%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

1.78%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$103 SAR 388

-60.49%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$33.67 SAR 126

-20.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$71.7 SAR 269

-58.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$86.9 SAR 326

-40.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$35.90 SAR 135

-25.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$15.87 SAR 59.5

-60.30%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$354 SAR 1,330

23.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

50.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$60.2 SAR 226

-5.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$59.2 SAR 222

-25.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$78.7 SAR 295

30.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$83.3 SAR 313

26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$444 SAR 1,667

130.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$374 SAR 1,405

68.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$863 SAR 3,238

147.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$615 SAR 2,309

101.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,395 SAR 8,988

62.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,347 SAR 5,057

53.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.42

156.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $444 in Al-Ula. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $45.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $197 – making Al-Ula the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,197 in Al-Ula – roughly 23% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,796 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $354 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,197, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Al-Ula it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,197 in Al-Ula to $1,467 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Al-Ula. 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.