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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 38% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Mecca is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.89 SAR 18.35

169.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$39.53 SAR 148

36.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$9.39 SAR 35.24

0.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$3.16 SAR 11.87

12.34%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.87 SAR 3.25

86.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.29 SAR 1.07

282.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.64 SAR 6.16

3.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.89 SAR 3.34

205.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-14.73%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-14.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.04 SAR 26.43

42.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-3.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-13.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$2.31 SAR 8.69

28.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.61 SAR 6.06

12.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.77 SAR 6.65

13.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$2.04 SAR 7.66

-0.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$1.26 SAR 4.73

68.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$1.24 SAR 4.67

83.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$1.06 SAR 3.96

32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.68 SAR 2.56

66.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-46.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-70.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$40.59 SAR 152

-52.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-43.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.83 SAR 6.89

-84.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$10.59 SAR 39.75

-48.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.60 SAR 2.26

116.67%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

-30.16%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

7.87%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$77.7 SAR 291

-47.38%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$35.25 SAR 132

-23.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$65.8 SAR 247

-54.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$87.6 SAR 329

-40.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$34.97 SAR 131

-23.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-66.11%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$404 SAR 1,518

7.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

126.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$22.51 SAR 84.5

151.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$62.5 SAR 235

-29.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$58.8 SAR 221

74.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$51.1 SAR 192

106.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$231 SAR 868

342.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$282 SAR 1,059

123.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$669 SAR 2,510

219.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$1,026 SAR 3,851

21.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-40.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$2,238 SAR 8,400

-7.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,075 SAR 4,035

3.74%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $231 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $40.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $207 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 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 4% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 112% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,467 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 38% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.