😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $952 in Khamis Mushayt.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,562 in Khamis Mushayt.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,172 in Khamis Mushayt.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 54% more expensive than Khamis Mushayt, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Khamis Mushayt is 29% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.18MX$228
$6.83SAR 25.65
92.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.9MX$932
$42.60SAR 160
26.53%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.42MX$163
$6.94SAR 26.06
35.73%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.76SAR 6.60
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.78SAR 6.70
-
Cappuccino
$3.55MX$61.4
$5.35SAR 20.09
-33.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62MX$27.98
$0.75SAR 2.82
116.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.11MX$19.27
$0.26SAR 0.97
326.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.12MX$54.0
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.63MX$80.1
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70MX$29.43
$1.75SAR 6.56
-2.86%
White Bread(500g)
$2.72MX$47.02
$0.35SAR 1.32
677.14%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.07
$1.92SAR 7.21
-0.52%
Eggs
$2.54MX$43.86
$4.37SAR 16.39
-41.88%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03MX$174
$6.63SAR 24.87
51.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.09MX$140
$7.67SAR 28.78
5.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.62MX$201
$15.41SAR 57.8
-24.59%
Apples(1kg)
$2.97MX$51.3
$2.24SAR 8.40
32.59%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81MX$31.24
$1.43SAR 5.38
26.57%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.82
$1.05SAR 3.93
91.43%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03MX$35.20
$1.97SAR 7.40
3.05%
Potato(1kg)
$2.12MX$36.75
$1.70SAR 6.40
24.71%
Onion(1kg)
$2.27MX$39.25
$1.38SAR 5.20
64.49%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.40MX$24.22
$1.25SAR 4.67
12.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.55
$0.65SAR 2.43
73.85%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.11SAR 11.68
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.69SAR 6.35
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.10SAR 7.87
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27MX$73.9
$7.83SAR 29.37
-45.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.56MX$269
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.39
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60MX$62.2
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.38MX$6.62
$1.10SAR 4.13
-65.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$19.18MX$332
$40.19SAR 151
-52.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.38MX$23.79
$2.65SAR 9.93
-47.92%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.28MX$4.78
$2.02SAR 7.59
-86.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.45MX$94.2
$13.45SAR 50.5
-59.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30MX$22.55
$0.63SAR 2.37
106.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.7KMX$323.2K
$26.5KSAR 99.5K
-29.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.1KMX$400.1K
$22.4KSAR 84.1K
3.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.86MX$707
$106SAR 399
-61.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.81MX$464
$34.38SAR 129
-22.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.96MX$518
$71.5SAR 268
-58.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.0MX$900
$89.5SAR 336
-41.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.84MX$464
$35.37SAR 133
-24.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.30MX$109
$15.61SAR 58.6
-59.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,544
$346SAR 1,300
25.88%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.4KMX$180.2K
$7,039SAR 26.4K
47.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.7MX$980
$58.8SAR 221
-3.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.38MX$768
$60.7SAR 228
-26.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,780
$77.8SAR 292
32.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106MX$1,825
$82.3SAR 309
28.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,022MX$17.7K
$159SAR 597
542.12%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$631MX$10.9K
$108SAR 404
485.55%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,136MX$36.9K
$406SAR 1,523
426.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,243MX$21.5K
$282SAR 1,059
340.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,903MX$67.5K
$2,505SAR 9,402
55.79%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,064MX$35.7K
$1,144SAR 4,294
80.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Khamis Mushayt
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,115MX$19.3K
$1,619SAR 6,078
-31.15%
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 Khamis Mushayt: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Khamis Mushayt pays 45% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $43.00 in Khamis Mushayt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $205 per month, with Khamis Mushayt 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 Khamis Mushayt: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Mexico City or Khamis Mushayt?
Khamis Mushayt wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Khamis Mushayt the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Mexico City or Khamis Mushayt?
On paper, Khamis Mushayt earns 45% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Mexico City vs Khamis Mushayt?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $159 in Khamis Mushayt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Mexico City vs Khamis Mushayt?
A monthly transit pass in Khamis Mushayt runs roughly 110% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Mexico City and Khamis Mushayt?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $346 in Khamis Mushayt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Mexico City or Khamis Mushayt?
At $952 in Khamis Mushayt versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Khamis Mushayt but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Khamis Mushayt the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Mexico City or Khamis Mushayt?
Both work as nomad bases, but Khamis Mushayt delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $952 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Khamis Mushayt hard to pass up.
How safe is Mexico City compared to Khamis Mushayt?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Khamis Mushayt are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Khamis Mushayt gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs other spots: cost of living compared