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: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $1,227 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,878 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $2,530 in Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 37% more expensive than in Dammam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Dammam is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$6.59 SAR 24.74

84.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$39.22 SAR 147

37.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$7.95 SAR 29.87

39.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.56 SAR 13.36

15.17%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.80 SAR 3.00

110.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.28 SAR 1.04

396.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.64 SAR 6.16

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.05 SAR 3.95

201.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-11.54%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.46 SAR 9.23

19.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.75 SAR 25.33

86.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.30 SAR 27.41

38.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$13.01 SAR 48.85

23.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.39 SAR 8.97

41.84%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.64 SAR 6.16

26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.64 SAR 6.16

29.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.58 SAR 5.92

52.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.23 SAR 4.63

73.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.39 SAR 5.21

44.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.30 SAR 4.87

19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.59 SAR 2.23

130.51%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$7.39 SAR 27.75

-21.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-65.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$40.25 SAR 151

-47.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$2.68 SAR 10.08

-23.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-69.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$13.44 SAR 50.5

-54.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.59 SAR 2.23

162.71%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

-12.46%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

15.79%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$106 SAR 397

-36.29%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$33.13 SAR 124

-7.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$70.4 SAR 264

-47.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$95.6 SAR 359

-35.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$36.61 SAR 138

-25.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$14.31 SAR 53.8

-50.31%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$349 SAR 1,310

30.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

81.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$56.2 SAR 211

32.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$64.5 SAR 242

-11.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$85.1 SAR 319

35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$82.0 SAR 308

48.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$438 SAR 1,646

161.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$384 SAR 1,441

84.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$884 SAR 3,321

191.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$633 SAR 2,379

104.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,731 SAR 6,502

131.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$1,102 SAR 4,139

93.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.42

155.66%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $438 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $39.00 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $197 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,515 in Mexico City and $1,840 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: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $438 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $1,227 in Dammam – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 90% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,677 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 37% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.