Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Dhahran

For one person, living is cheaper in Dhahran: $1,373 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $2,800 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mexico City outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

78

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Dhahran
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Dhahran Living Index

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Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,608

/mo nomad

Dhahran

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

$1,373

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Dhahran

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Dhahran actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,373 in Dhahran, rent included.

Mexico City $1,608
Dhahran $1,373

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Mexico City vs $1,761 in Dhahran, rent included.

Mexico City $2,549
Dhahran $1,761

A family of three spends $3,490 per month in Mexico City vs $2,149 in Dhahran, rent included.

Mexico City $3,490
Dhahran $2,149

Mexico City costs about 17% more than Dhahran, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.62 MX$198

$5.41 SAR 20.31

96.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.35 MX$901

$39.83 SAR 149

21.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.35 MX$193

$6.46 SAR 24.24

60.22%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SAR 7.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

Cappuccino

$3.69 MX$68.8

$3.82 SAR 14.35

-3.40%

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

$1.67 MX$31.07

$0.69 SAR 2.57

142.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.59

$0.20 SAR 0.75

535.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.31 MX$98.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 MX$32.15

$1.56 SAR 5.86

10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.04 MX$56.7

$0.94 SAR 3.51

223.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

$1.99 SAR 7.47

-2.51%

Eggs

$2.89 MX$53.8

$3.91 SAR 14.67

-26.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 MX$205

$8.66 SAR 32.50

26.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.25 MX$172

$11.22 SAR 42.12

-17.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.13 MX$282

$13.79 SAR 51.7

9.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 MX$56.8

$2.09 SAR 7.83

45.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.19

$1.44 SAR 5.40

34.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.03 MX$37.75

$1.81 SAR 6.81

12.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 MX$43.15

$1.75 SAR 6.58

32.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$37.94

$1.47 SAR 5.53

38.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.80 MX$33.55

$0.97 SAR 3.63

85.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$27.58

$1.98 SAR 7.45

-25.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 MX$23.63

$0.85 SAR 3.17

49.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.72 SAR 17.69

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.30 MX$98.9

$5.51 SAR 20.68

-3.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.10 MX$300

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 MX$36.97

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 MX$79.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 MX$5.69

$0.90 SAR 3.37

-65.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.73 MX$368

$55.6 SAR 208

-64.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 MX$34.25

$1.37 SAR 5.15

34.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 MX$9.94

$3.30 SAR 12.38

-83.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 MX$98.7

$9.26 SAR 34.75

-42.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 MX$28.16

$0.63 SAR 2.38

139.68%

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

$21.8K MX$405.5K

$36.3K SAR 136.4K

-40.15%

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

$24.0K MX$447.1K

$21.6K SAR 81.1K

10.99%

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

$63.0 MX$1,174

$61.2 SAR 230

2.87%

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

$27.39 MX$511

$43.31 SAR 163

-36.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.67 MX$665

$65.9 SAR 247

-45.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.9 MX$1,099

$195 SAR 733

-69.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.64 MX$441

$95.1 SAR 357

-75.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 MX$119

$10.51 SAR 39.44

-39.11%

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

$432 MX$8,045

$66.2 SAR 248

552.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K MX$212.9K

$13.6K SAR 51.0K

-15.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 MX$1,272

$50.7 SAR 190

34.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 MX$990

$42.77 SAR 161

24.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$2,009

$77.0 SAR 289

39.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 MX$2,186

$90.4 SAR 339

29.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,113 MX$20.8K

$366 SAR 1,375

203.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$710 MX$13.2K

$449 SAR 1,683

58.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 MX$48.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,406 MX$26.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,631 MX$67.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,135 MX$39.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$946 MX$17.6K

$2,804 SAR 10.5K

-66.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

4.5

152.22%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Mexico City

$710 44.2%

Dhahran

$449 32.7% 36.9% $262

Groceries & Markets

Mexico City

$320 19.9%

Dhahran

$232 16.9% 27.5% $88

Eating Out

Mexico City

$199 12.4%

Dhahran

$112 8.2% 43.6% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Mexico City

$156 9.7%

Dhahran

$117 8.6% 24.7% $38

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mexico City

$126 7.8%

Dhahran

$170 12.4% 35.2% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Mexico City

$72 4.5%

Dhahran

$216 15.8% 202% $145

Getting Around

Mexico City

$25 1.6%

Dhahran

$77 5.6% 203% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,113 in Mexico City versus $366 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 in Dhahran are about 3 times higher, 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 $48 in Mexico City versus $40 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $320 vs $232 – making Dhahran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🇸🇦 Dhahran

🕒 Local time

21:09 9:09 PM

06:09 6:09 AM

9 h ahead of Mexico City

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,209,944 Capital

120,521

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.36 USD

100 MXN = 4.82 EUR

1 SAR = 0.266 USD

1 SAR = 0.239 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Mexico City Dhahran 13,940 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Mexico City
Dhahran

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 17% more than Dhahran, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,412 per month in Mexico City and $2,060 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $366 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,373 in Dhahran. That makes Dhahran about 15% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 64% less in Mexico City. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,608 in Mexico City and $1,373 in Dhahran. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Dhahran – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.