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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $1,233 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,851 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $2,468 in Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 20% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Dammam is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$229

$6.69 SAR 25.10

96.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$934

$39.71 SAR 149

34.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$7.93 SAR 29.74

20.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$64.9

$3.76 SAR 14.12

-1.06%

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

$1.57 MX$27.33

$0.81 SAR 3.06

93.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.16

$0.28 SAR 1.05

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.8

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.74

$1.62 SAR 6.10

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.63

$1.01 SAR 3.79

159.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.93

$2.27 SAR 8.52

-16.74%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.26

$2.55 SAR 9.57

1.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$6.93 SAR 26.02

43.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$143

$7.44 SAR 27.91

10.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$205

$13.11 SAR 49.20

-10.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.2

$2.34 SAR 8.79

28.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.38

$1.69 SAR 6.35

6.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.16

$1.64 SAR 6.14

26.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.30

$1.57 SAR 5.89

25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.13

$1.24 SAR 4.64

66.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.92

$1.37 SAR 5.14

58.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.46

$1.34 SAR 5.04

4.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.74

$0.63 SAR 2.36

69.84%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$71.8

$7.03 SAR 26.39

-41.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.63

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-64.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$326

$40.58 SAR 152

-53.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$2.60 SAR 9.74

-48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.28

$1.86 SAR 6.97

-83.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.1

$13.17 SAR 49.43

-58.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.76

$0.63 SAR 2.37

107.94%

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

$19.2K MX$334.2K

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

-28.48%

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

$23.7K MX$414.1K

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

1.41%

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

$41.14 MX$717

$103 SAR 386

-60.00%

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

$27.74 MX$484

$34.12 SAR 128

-18.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$525

$71.3 SAR 268

-57.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$937

$95.3 SAR 358

-43.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$453

$35.74 SAR 134

-27.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$14.63 SAR 54.9

-55.64%

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

$437 MX$7,614

$347 SAR 1,303

25.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.3K

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

40.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$54.8 SAR 206

6.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$800

$64.0 SAR 240

-28.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,769

$83.8 SAR 314

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,858

$80.8 SAR 303

31.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.5K

$445 SAR 1,670

125.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.0K

$380 SAR 1,427

66.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$881 SAR 3,304

143.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.7K

$617 SAR 2,314

102.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.3K

$1,773 SAR 6,655

117.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.3K

$1,092 SAR 4,099

90.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

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 22, 2026

Last update for Dammam: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $445 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $199 per month, with Dammam 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 Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,222 in Mexico City and $1,849 in Dammam to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $445 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,481 per month in Mexico City versus $1,233 in Dammam – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 117% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Dammam are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.