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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,352 in Medina, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,802 in Medina, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,252 in Medina, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 24% more than Medina, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Medina is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$5.59 SAR 21.00

117.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$916

$32.04 SAR 120

68.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.10 SAR 30.40

36.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.6

$2.71 SAR 10.17

51.29%

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

$1.68 MX$28.57

$0.81 SAR 3.03

107.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.58

$0.23 SAR 0.86

504.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.45

$1.48 SAR 5.57

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.9

$0.94 SAR 3.53

237.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.18

$2.38 SAR 8.93

-13.03%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.74

$2.03 SAR 7.63

44.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$5.27 SAR 19.80

138.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$7.22 SAR 27.11

40.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$12.52 SAR 46.99

28.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.6

$2.45 SAR 9.19

38.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.31

$1.90 SAR 7.12

9.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.02

$2.33 SAR 8.74

-9.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$41.01

$1.47 SAR 5.51

63.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.17

$1.36 SAR 5.12

56.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.07

$1.35 SAR 5.08

48.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.92 SAR 3.45

68.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.19

$0.72 SAR 2.69

88.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SAR 5.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$98.0

$7.58 SAR 28.46

-23.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-66.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$360

$37.59 SAR 141

-43.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.89

$1.32 SAR 4.94

55.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.80

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-64.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$5.72 SAR 21.48

6.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.38

$0.59 SAR 2.22

162.71%

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

$22.9K MX$388.6K

$42.4K SAR 159.1K

-46.03%

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

$27.2K MX$462.7K

$20.5K SAR 76.9K

32.88%

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

$67.4 MX$1,145

$152 SAR 572

-55.75%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$27.81 SAR 104

10.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$633

$90.8 SAR 341

-58.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,044

$80.0 SAR 300

-23.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$461

$8.93 SAR 33.54

203.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-47.37%

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

$456 MX$7,750

$291 SAR 1,091

56.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.6K

$5,504 SAR 20.7K

148.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,260

$37.97 SAR 143

95.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$969

$53.8 SAR 202

5.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,961

$66.1 SAR 248

74.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,064

$69.1 SAR 260

75.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$568 SAR 2,131

102.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.1K

$524 SAR 1,966

35.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.8K

$773 SAR 2,901

233.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$570 SAR 2,139

127.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$68.0K

$2,295 SAR 8,615

74.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.2K

$1,320 SAR 4,954

61.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$1,348 SAR 5,062

-19.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.17

170.98%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Medina: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $568 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 25% higher in Medina, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $32.00 in Medina. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $191 – 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

Mexico City costs about 24% more than Medina, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $2,029 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.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $291 in Medina. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Medina, where all-in costs run around $1,352, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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 $1,352 versus $1,677 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.