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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,041 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,881 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,721 in Mecca.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Mecca is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$4.88 SAR 18.32

167.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$40.07 SAR 150

34.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$9.21 SAR 34.60

5.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.19 SAR 11.98

17.24%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.91 SAR 3.41

78.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.29 SAR 1.08

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.67 SAR 6.25

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.89 SAR 3.34

208.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-17.26%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.97 SAR 11.17

-15.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.92 SAR 25.99

47.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$8.58 SAR 32.23

-3.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-12.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.31 SAR 8.67

30.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.57 SAR 5.88

15.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.87 SAR 7.02

6.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.03 SAR 7.63

-1.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.20 SAR 4.49

73.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.22 SAR 4.57

86.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.05 SAR 3.94

39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.66 SAR 2.46

63.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$7.94 SAR 29.81

-45.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.37 SAR 5.14

-71.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$39.83 SAR 150

-53.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$2.35 SAR 8.83

-43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.83 SAR 6.87

-84.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$10.56 SAR 39.64

-50.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.59 SAR 2.22

127.12%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-26.22%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

13.91%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$77.1 SAR 289

-47.20%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$35.21 SAR 132

-23.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$67.3 SAR 253

-54.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$84.8 SAR 318

-37.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$34.89 SAR 131

-23.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$18.68 SAR 70.1

-65.15%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$399 SAR 1,500

7.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

126.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$22.32 SAR 83.8

156.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$63.5 SAR 239

-28.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$59.2 SAR 222

75.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$51.3 SAR 192

110.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$226 SAR 849

343.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$290 SAR 1,090

114.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$686 SAR 2,576

207.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,041 SAR 3,909

17.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

-39.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,305 SAR 8,656

-11.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,089 SAR 4,088

-4.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.5

106.18%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $226 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 5% 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 $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $208 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. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 5% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $226 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $1,041 in Mecca – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 113% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,456 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 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.