Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Arar Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Arar

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,198 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,849 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,501 in Arar, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 22% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Arar is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$6.54 SAR 24.55

99.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$44.74 SAR 168

20.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.91 SAR 29.69

22.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.70 SAR 13.88

1.08%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.74 SAR 2.77

118.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.29 SAR 1.07

300.00%

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

$1.62 SAR 6.09

1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.95 SAR 3.57

189.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-22.08%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.48 SAR 9.31

0.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.83 SAR 25.64

49.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.35 SAR 27.59

12.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$12.96 SAR 48.67

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.17 SAR 8.16

38.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.57 SAR 5.91

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.68 SAR 6.32

19.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.56 SAR 5.88

28.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.29 SAR 4.84

61.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.26 SAR 4.74

80.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.24 SAR 4.65

17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.59 SAR 2.22

83.05%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$6.99 SAR 26.25

-37.77%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$40.26 SAR 151

-53.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.61 SAR 9.80

-49.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.86 SAR 6.98

-84.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$13.54 SAR 50.9

-61.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.63 SAR 2.37

112.70%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

-27.05%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

8.10%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$106 SAR 397

-61.47%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$33.50 SAR 126

-19.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$75.5 SAR 283

-59.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$88.6 SAR 333

-40.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$35.68 SAR 134

-25.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$15.91 SAR 59.7

-59.08%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$351 SAR 1,317

22.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

52.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$59.4 SAR 223

-3.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$59.8 SAR 225

-23.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$77.6 SAR 292

34.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$83.0 SAR 312

29.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$433 SAR 1,628

131.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$383 SAR 1,439

62.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$844 SAR 3,170

149.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$627 SAR 2,355

94.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,082 SAR 7,816

86.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,467 SAR 5,507

38.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Arar: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $433 in Arar. 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 Arar. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $195 – making Arar 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 Arar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $1,198 in Arar – roughly 22% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,797 in Arar. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 115% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $351 in Arar. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,198, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Arar 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 $1,198 in Arar to $1,456 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 Arar. 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.