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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,332 in Dhahran, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $2,029 in Dhahran, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,725 in Dhahran, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 10% more than Dhahran, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Dhahran is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.23 SAR 19.64

152.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$40.50 SAR 152

33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.14 SAR 26.78

31.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.77 SAR 14.14

-5.84%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.74 SAR 2.78

118.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.17 SAR 0.63

552.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.49 SAR 5.60

14.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$1.17 SAR 4.39

132.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.18 SAR 8.18

-12.39%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.39 SAR 8.98

6.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.83 SAR 25.62

46.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.84 SAR 33.18

-8.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.50 SAR 50.7

-13.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.24 SAR 8.41

32.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.38 SAR 5.20

31.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.63 SAR 6.11

23.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.37 SAR 5.13

48.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.23 SAR 4.63

72.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.89 SAR 3.34

155.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$1.10 SAR 4.14

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.57 SAR 2.15

98.25%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$9.52 SAR 35.72

-55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-63.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$40.72 SAR 153

-52.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.35 SAR 5.08

2.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.45 SAR 9.18

-88.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-59.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.65 SAR 2.43

100.00%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

-42.41%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

-4.70%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$104 SAR 391

-60.76%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$36.18 SAR 136

-25.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$73.6 SAR 276

-59.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$183 SAR 688

-71.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$36.00 SAR 135

-25.44%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$11.90 SAR 44.66

-47.06%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$414 SAR 1,553

5.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

5.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$59.4 SAR 223

-4.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$76.7 SAR 288

-42.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$84.4 SAR 317

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$97.8 SAR 367

7.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$439 SAR 1,648

132.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$383 SAR 1,436

64.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$836 SAR 3,138

155.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$615 SAR 2,308

102.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

251.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,066 SAR 3,999

93.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

-61.46%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $439 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 159% 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 $41.00 in Dhahran. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $200 – 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 10% 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,998 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $1,332 in Dhahran. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 112% less in Dhahran. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Dhahran, where all-in costs run around $1,332, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $1,332 versus $1,467 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.