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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,677 in Mexico City versus $975 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,608 in Mexico City versus $1,477 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,540 in Mexico City versus $1,980 in Mecca.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 72% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 22% above, Mecca is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.57 SAR 17.15

165.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$27.05 SAR 102

99.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$6.94 SAR 26.05

59.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.61 SAR 9.82

57.09%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.71 SAR 2.67

136.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.23 SAR 0.86

504.35%

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

$1.67 SAR 6.26

10.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.95 SAR 3.58

233.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$2.12 SAR 7.95

-2.36%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$2.35 SAR 8.81

24.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$6.26 SAR 23.51

101.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$8.05 SAR 30.22

25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.83 SAR 48.18

25.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$2.01 SAR 7.55

68.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.63 SAR 6.10

27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.58 SAR 5.93

34.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$1.68 SAR 6.32

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$1.11 SAR 4.17

91.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$1.36 SAR 5.10

47.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$1.04 SAR 3.91

49.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.54 SAR 2.04

151.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$6.56 SAR 24.65

-12.04%

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

$1.35 SAR 5.06

-72.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.88 SAR 7.07

9.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.71 SAR 6.41

-66.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$13.35 SAR 50.2

-54.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.59 SAR 2.22

162.71%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$48.7K SAR 183.0K

-53.05%

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

$74.9 SAR 281

-10.01%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$35.05 SAR 132

-12.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$67.7 SAR 254

-44.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$77.3 SAR 290

-20.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$33.94 SAR 127

-20.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$12.02 SAR 45.15

-40.85%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$397 SAR 1,491

14.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$4,573 SAR 17.2K

199.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$22.73 SAR 85.4

226.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$60.8 SAR 228

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$49.95 SAR 188

131.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$51.3 SAR 193

136.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$588 SAR 2,209

95.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$318 SAR 1,194

123.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$1,496 SAR 5,617

72.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$507 SAR 1,905

155.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$6,343 SAR 23.8K

-36.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$2,285 SAR 8,583

-6.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,097 SAR 4,121

-1.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.25

115.24%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,148 in Mexico City and $588 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 1% 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 $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $193 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Mecca. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,148 in Mexico City versus $588 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,677 per month in Mexico City versus $975 in Mecca – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $975 in Mecca versus $1,677 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca 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 Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.