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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,478 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,848 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,219 in Medina, rent included.

Mexico City is about 1% cheaper than Medina, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mexico City and Medina sit above the global median – Mexico City by 10%, Medina by 10%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.48 SAR 20.55

140.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$31.47 SAR 118

71.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.18 SAR 30.68

15.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.55 SAR 9.56

39.22%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.82 SAR 3.07

97.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.39 SAR 1.45

184.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.63 SAR 6.11

4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.98 SAR 3.68

177.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$2.37 SAR 8.88

-19.41%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$2.12 SAR 7.97

19.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$6.49 SAR 24.35

54.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$6.96 SAR 26.13

16.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.64 SAR 47.44

-8.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$2.41 SAR 9.05

23.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$2.11 SAR 7.94

-14.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$2.26 SAR 8.49

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$1.64 SAR 6.14

23.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$1.37 SAR 5.15

54.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$1.45 SAR 5.45

56.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.99 SAR 3.70

41.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.87 SAR 3.27

29.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$7.58 SAR 28.44

-43.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-63.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$37.18 SAR 140

-48.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.31 SAR 4.91

5.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.64 SAR 6.16

-82.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.46 SAR 20.48

-0.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.64 SAR 2.41

103.13%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

-11.59%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$21.1K SAR 79.3K

9.43%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$199 SAR 748

-79.49%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$33.10 SAR 124

-19.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$104 SAR 392

-71.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$75.4 SAR 283

-30.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$9.01 SAR 33.80

197.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$13.16 SAR 49.38

-52.13%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$290 SAR 1,088

50.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$7,586 SAR 28.5K

37.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$37.12 SAR 139

52.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$52.3 SAR 196

-15.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$65.8 SAR 247

56.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$96.7 SAR 363

9.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$424 SAR 1,591

141.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$556 SAR 2,085

13.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$711 SAR 2,670

200.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$412 SAR 1,547

201.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$2,340 SAR 8,782

66.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$1,313 SAR 4,929

57.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$1,316 SAR 4,940

-15.28%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Medina: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $424 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 18% higher in Medina, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $31.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $200 – 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

Medina costs about 1% more than Mexico City, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $2,217 in Medina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $436 per month in Mexico City and $290 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 44% cheaper in Medina – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexico City, where all-in costs run around $1,467, than in Medina at $1,478. In Mexico City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medina it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mexico City costs $1,467 versus $1,478 in Medina. 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 Mexico City. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medina makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.