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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,221 in Arar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,863 in Arar, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,506 in Arar, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 20% more than Arar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$6.83 SAR 25.65

92.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$44.99 SAR 169

19.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.94 SAR 29.80

18.64%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.74 SAR 14.04

-5.08%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.78 SAR 2.93

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.31 SAR 1.17

258.06%

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

$1.63 SAR 6.14

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.01 SAR 3.80

169.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.39 SAR 8.97

-20.08%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.45 SAR 9.18

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.92 SAR 25.95

44.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$7.65 SAR 28.71

5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.96 SAR 48.65

-10.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.27 SAR 8.50

30.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.58 SAR 5.94

14.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.68 SAR 6.32

19.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.55 SAR 5.82

30.97%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.24 SAR 4.65

70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.26 SAR 4.74

80.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.23 SAR 4.60

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.55 SAR 2.05

105.45%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.16 SAR 26.87

-40.36%

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

$40.09 SAR 150

-52.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.70 SAR 10.14

-48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.82 SAR 6.81

-84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$13.28 SAR 49.85

-58.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.64 SAR 2.39

103.13%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

-29.66%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

5.38%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$103 SAR 388

-60.45%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$34.41 SAR 129

-22.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$76.1 SAR 286

-60.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$87.2 SAR 327

-40.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$35.10 SAR 132

-23.53%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$15.56 SAR 58.4

-59.51%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$358 SAR 1,344

21.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

50.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$59.0 SAR 221

-3.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$60.9 SAR 229

-27.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$78.9 SAR 296

30.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$82.3 SAR 309

28.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$442 SAR 1,657

131.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$380 SAR 1,427

65.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$860 SAR 3,228

148.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$616 SAR 2,312

101.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,117 SAR 7,944

84.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,299 SAR 4,876

58.91%

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 Arar: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $442 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: $288 vs $197 – 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $1,221 in Arar – roughly 20% 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 $1,832 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 109% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $358 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 $1,221, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $1,221 in Arar 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 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.