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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,561 per month in Mexico City vs $958 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,440 per month in Mexico City vs $1,429 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,319 per month in Mexico City vs $1,900 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 63% more than Ar-rustaq, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 16% above the global median, while Ar-rustaq is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 MX$200

$5.17 OMR 1.99

115.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.99 MX$880

$34.37 OMR 13.23

42.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 MX$202

$8.24 OMR 3.17

36.29%

Cappuccino

$3.76 MX$67.5

$5.15 OMR 1.98

-26.99%

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

$1.65 MX$29.69

$0.94 OMR 0.36

75.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 MX$22.98

$0.29 OMR 0.11

341.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 MX$58.5

$12.80 OMR 4.93

-74.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 MX$102

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-56.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$32.52

$2.32 OMR 0.89

-21.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 MX$52.8

$1.27 OMR 0.49

131.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$36.82

$1.88 OMR 0.72

9.04%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$52.6

$3.06 OMR 1.18

-4.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.95 MX$215

$7.23 OMR 2.78

65.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.51 MX$171

$6.88 OMR 2.65

38.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.84 MX$267

$10.85 OMR 4.18

36.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 MX$56.5

$3.54 OMR 1.36

-11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$36.20

$2.03 OMR 0.78

-0.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$37.29

$2.35 OMR 0.90

-11.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.22 MX$39.86

$1.27 OMR 0.49

74.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$37.01

$1.16 OMR 0.45

77.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.88 MX$33.73

$1.28 OMR 0.49

46.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$26.60

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-17.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$24.17

$0.71 OMR 0.27

90.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.41 MX$97.2

$6.32 OMR 2.43

-14.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 MX$303

$15.54 OMR 5.98

8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$35.66

$6.08 OMR 2.34

-67.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 MX$77.7

$10.08 OMR 3.88

-57.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$6.20

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.23 MX$363

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$37.65

$3.30 OMR 1.27

-36.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.53

$2.52 OMR 0.97

-78.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$97.1

$7.72 OMR 2.97

-29.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 MX$27.31

$0.60 OMR 0.23

153.33%

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

$21.7K MX$390.5K

$25.8K OMR 9,952

-15.93%

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

$24.8K MX$445.9K

$22.4K OMR 8,614

10.90%

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

$63.0 MX$1,132

$170 OMR 65.5

-62.98%

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

$28.88 MX$519

$31.04 OMR 11.95

-6.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.93 MX$610

$69.1 OMR 26.59

-50.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 MX$1,002

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 MX$447

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 MX$122

$10.45 OMR 4.02

-35.22%

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

$428 MX$7,687

$283 OMR 109

51.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K MX$213.3K

$10.5K OMR 4,029

13.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 MX$1,258

$55.9 OMR 21.51

25.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.7 MX$966

$42.70 OMR 16.44

25.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 MX$1,973

$90.5 OMR 34.84

21.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 MX$2,070

$96.2 OMR 37.04

19.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,062 MX$19.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 MX$12.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,379 MX$42.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,260 MX$22.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,716 MX$66.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,976 MX$35.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$997 MX$17.9K

$4,501 OMR 1,733

-77.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.25

115.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 6, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 352% higher in Ar-rustaq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Mexico City versus $34.00 in Ar-rustaq. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $293 – making Ar-rustaq 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 Ar-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 63%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,341 per month in Mexico City and $1,438 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,561 in Mexico City and $958 in Ar-rustaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $283 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Mexico City at $1,561. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ar-rustaq. 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.