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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,087 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,707 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,328 in Qatif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 35% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Qatif is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.44 SAR 12.94

281.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$47.42 SAR 178

12.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$8.05 SAR 30.22

15.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.66 SAR 13.73

1.09%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.77 SAR 2.91

107.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.26 SAR 0.97

330.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.65 SAR 6.20

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.81 SAR 3.04

234.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.03 SAR 7.64

-5.91%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.32 SAR 8.73

11.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$6.03 SAR 22.64

62.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$7.38 SAR 27.72

14.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$9.67 SAR 36.30

23.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.12 SAR 7.95

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.48 SAR 5.56

17.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.44 SAR 5.42

41.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.75 SAR 2.83

174.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.26 SAR 4.74

70.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.35 SAR 5.05

67.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.10 SAR 4.13

26.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.55 SAR 2.08

103.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$7.68 SAR 28.83

-45.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-68.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$39.26 SAR 147

-50.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.12 SAR 11.72

-55.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-82.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$13.22 SAR 49.64

-60.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.65 SAR 2.43

109.23%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

-15.36%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$19.7K SAR 73.8K

20.11%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$104 SAR 392

-61.14%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$37.20 SAR 140

-26.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$59.6 SAR 224

-49.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$94.2 SAR 354

-44.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$56.9 SAR 214

-53.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$15.36 SAR 57.7

-59.70%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$405 SAR 1,521

4.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$8,110 SAR 30.5K

32.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$51.3 SAR 192

13.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$50.9 SAR 191

-12.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$91.5 SAR 343

13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$85.8 SAR 322

26.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$360 SAR 1,351

181.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$281 SAR 1,054

121.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$717 SAR 2,693

195.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$486 SAR 1,826

151.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$949 SAR 3,563

299.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$796 SAR 2,990

164.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$2,248 SAR 8,440

-53.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.33

161.89%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Qatif: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $360 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 114% 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 $47.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $173 per month, with Qatif 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 Qatif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Qatif differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,087 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 114% lower in Qatif. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $360 in Qatif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Qatif runs roughly 103% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $405 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,087 in Qatif versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Qatif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Qatif the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Qatif 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 Qatif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.