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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,451 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,853 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,255 in Medina, rent included.

Mexico City and Medina have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Mexico City and Medina sit above the global median – Mexico City by 9%, Medina by 9%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$5.72 SAR 21.48

128.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$31.52 SAR 118

70.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.94 SAR 29.82

21.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.45 SAR 9.19

52.65%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.78 SAR 2.92

107.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.42 SAR 1.57

176.19%

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

$1.60 SAR 6.02

3.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$0.97 SAR 3.66

183.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.32 SAR 8.70

-19.40%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.05 SAR 7.71

21.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$6.72 SAR 25.23

51.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$7.09 SAR 26.61

16.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$12.44 SAR 46.71

-4.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.35 SAR 8.82

28.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$2.07 SAR 7.79

-12.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.71 SAR 6.42

16.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.43 SAR 5.36

45.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.46 SAR 5.47

55.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$0.98 SAR 3.68

48.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.88 SAR 3.29

22.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$7.61 SAR 28.57

-42.84%

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

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-64.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$37.08 SAR 139

-49.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$1.32 SAR 4.94

0.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.65 SAR 6.21

-83.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$5.59 SAR 20.99

-6.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.65 SAR 2.44

106.15%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$21.0K SAR 78.8K

-7.47%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$21.5K SAR 80.7K

10.83%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$203 SAR 763

-79.98%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$33.06 SAR 124

-18.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$104 SAR 392

-70.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$75.9 SAR 285

-30.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$9.10 SAR 34.18

192.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$13.49 SAR 50.7

-51.74%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$287 SAR 1,078

49.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$7,377 SAR 27.7K

42.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$37.64 SAR 141

52.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$53.3 SAR 200

-14.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$66.9 SAR 251

55.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$98.6 SAR 370

9.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$435 SAR 1,633

130.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$554 SAR 2,082

12.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$712 SAR 2,674

196.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$419 SAR 1,574

190.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,267 SAR 8,513

71.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,344 SAR 5,045

51.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$1,339 SAR 5,030

-22.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

278.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Medina: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $435 in Medina. 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 29% higher in Medina. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $199 – making Medina 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 Medina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $2,177 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medina, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Kindergarten costs $428 per month in Mexico City and $287 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,451, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Medina 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. Medina costs $1,451 versus $1,456 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 Medina. 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.