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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,303 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,663 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,024 in Dhahran, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 29% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Dhahran is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$5.39 SAR 20.22

125.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$39.25 SAR 147

37.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.37 SAR 23.92

74.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.95 SAR 14.84

3.80%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.73 SAR 2.75

130.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.15 SAR 0.58

826.67%

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 6.17

12.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$1.02 SAR 3.82

210.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.93 SAR 7.26

7.25%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$3.81 SAR 14.30

-23.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.58 SAR 32.21

46.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$11.12 SAR 41.77

-9.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$13.59 SAR 51.1

18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.09 SAR 7.86

62.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.41 SAR 5.28

47.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.82 SAR 6.85

16.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.75 SAR 6.58

37.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.55 SAR 5.84

37.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.95 SAR 3.56

111.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-20.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.92 SAR 3.47

47.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.67 SAR 17.55

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$5.71 SAR 21.43

1.05%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.13

-55.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.35 SAR 5.07

51.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$3.41 SAR 12.80

-82.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$9.35 SAR 35.12

-35.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.64 SAR 2.41

142.19%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$51.9K SAR 194.9K

-55.93%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$20.8K SAR 78.0K

31.20%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$59.7 SAR 224

12.90%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$42.29 SAR 159

-27.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$66.7 SAR 251

-44.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$197 SAR 741

-68.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$91.5 SAR 344

-70.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$10.51 SAR 39.48

-32.35%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$67.6 SAR 254

574.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$13.5K SAR 50.9K

1.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$50.5 SAR 190

46.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$43.25 SAR 162

31.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$75.1 SAR 282

53.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$90.0 SAR 338

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$361 SAR 1,357

217.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$460 SAR 1,728

54.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$2,813 SAR 10.6K

-61.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.5

151.11%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $361 in Dhahran. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 160% higher in Dhahran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $39.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $232 – making Dhahran 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 Dhahran: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 29% more than Dhahran, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,954 in Dhahran. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $1,303 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $67.6 in Dhahran. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,303, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In Dhahran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dhahran costs $1,303 versus $1,677 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Dhahran. 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.