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: $1,466 in Mexico City versus $1,215 in Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,325 in Mexico City versus $1,840 in Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,184 in Mexico City versus $2,465 in Dammam.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Dammam is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.30 MX$231

$6.68 SAR 25.04

99.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$39.64 SAR 149

35.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.01 SAR 30.05

17.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.3

$3.56 SAR 13.36

0.84%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.81 SAR 3.03

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.30 SAR 1.14

273.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.65 MX$80.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.71 SAR 6.40

-4.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$46.00

$1.00 SAR 3.76

165.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.96 MX$33.99

$2.37 SAR 8.89

-17.30%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.08

$2.51 SAR 9.41

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.97 MX$173

$6.73 SAR 25.24

48.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 MX$145

$7.53 SAR 28.26

11.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.83 MX$205

$12.78 SAR 47.94

-7.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.62

$2.28 SAR 8.54

25.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 MX$30.05

$1.66 SAR 6.23

4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.50

$1.59 SAR 5.95

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.51

$1.56 SAR 5.84

31.41%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.23 SAR 4.60

67.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 MX$39.54

$1.32 SAR 4.96

72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 MX$25.05

$1.30 SAR 4.87

11.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.83

$0.63 SAR 2.35

73.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.13 SAR 26.75

-40.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.67 MX$254

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.57 MX$61.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.67

$1.10 SAR 4.11

-65.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.73 MX$325

$39.58 SAR 148

-52.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.09

$2.73 SAR 10.23

-49.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.26

$1.92 SAR 7.21

-84.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 MX$93.8

$13.42 SAR 50.3

-59.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.22

$0.64 SAR 2.40

109.38%

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

$18.9K MX$326.7K

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

-28.02%

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

$23.2K MX$402.0K

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

0.32%

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

$40.30 MX$698

$106 SAR 397

-61.92%

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

$27.15 MX$471

$33.23 SAR 125

-18.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$510

$70.5 SAR 264

-58.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 MX$914

$96.3 SAR 361

-45.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.17 MX$454

$36.28 SAR 136

-27.87%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$14.86 SAR 55.7

-58.41%

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

$441 MX$7,637

$346 SAR 1,298

27.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.4K

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

44.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 MX$992

$56.4 SAR 212

1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.04 MX$781

$63.9 SAR 240

-29.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,793

$84.5 SAR 317

22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,884

$81.8 SAR 307

32.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.3K

$428 SAR 1,606

133.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 MX$11.0K

$382 SAR 1,434

65.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,141 MX$37.1K

$877 SAR 3,288

144.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,253 MX$21.7K

$633 SAR 2,374

97.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,745 MX$64.9K

$1,776 SAR 6,661

110.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,381 MX$41.3K

$1,107 SAR 4,150

115.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,079 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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Dammam: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $428 in Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54 in Mexico City vs $40 in Dammam for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,199 in Mexico City and $1,823 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $428 in Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,466 per month in Mexico City versus $1,215 in Dammam – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 111% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,466 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.