Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ar-rass Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ar-rass

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,171 in Ar-rass.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,786 in Ar-rass.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,400 in Ar-rass.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 24% more expensive than Ar-rass, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Ar-rass is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.85 SAR 25.69

89.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$43.87 SAR 165

19.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.89 SAR 29.59

19.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.65 SAR 13.68

-2.19%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.74 SAR 2.77

117.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.31 SAR 1.17

270.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$2.34 SAR 8.80

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.01 SAR 3.80

161.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.56 SAR 5.85

21.79%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$3.56 SAR 13.37

-28.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.89 SAR 25.86

46.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$7.64 SAR 28.66

8.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.85 SAR 48.21

-9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.16 SAR 8.10

40.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.63 SAR 6.12

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.69 SAR 6.35

21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.56 SAR 5.85

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.25 SAR 4.69

64.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.27 SAR 4.76

70.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.24 SAR 4.66

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.56 SAR 2.10

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.40 SAR 8.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.87

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.42 SAR 24.10

-33.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.09 SAR 4.10

-65.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$40.24 SAR 151

-52.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-48.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-85.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$13.18 SAR 49.46

-58.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.60 SAR 2.24

113.33%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

-28.42%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.4K SAR 84.1K

4.70%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$107 SAR 401

-61.60%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$34.28 SAR 129

-21.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$72.7 SAR 273

-59.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$44.14 SAR 166

18.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$36.14 SAR 136

-27.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$15.61 SAR 58.6

-60.41%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$350 SAR 1,311

22.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,049 SAR 26.5K

51.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$20.95 SAR 78.6

171.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$61.0 SAR 229

-26.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$78.4 SAR 294

33.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$81.4 SAR 305

30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$434 SAR 1,627

129.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$387 SAR 1,454

60.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$379 SAR 1,421

461.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$628 SAR 2,358

99.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,384 SAR 8,946

63.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,325 SAR 4,971

58.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$1,719 SAR 6,452

-35.60%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ar-rass: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $434 in Ar-rass. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ar-rass pays 55% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $44.00 in Ar-rass for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $205 per month, with Ar-rass 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 Ar-rass: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ar-rass differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,171 including rent). Ar-rass is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ar-rass earns 55% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $434 in Ar-rass. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $350 in Ar-rass. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,171 in Ar-rass versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ar-rass but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ar-rass the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Ar-rass gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.