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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,080 in Qatif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,638 in Qatif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,196 in Qatif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 54% more expensive than in Qatif, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$3.56 SAR 13.38

234.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$35.17 SAR 132

46.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.67 SAR 25.07

71.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 SAR 8.27

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$2.95 SAR 11.07

35.25%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.73 SAR 2.73

127.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.15 SAR 0.58

786.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.76 SAR 6.61

6.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.94 SAR 3.53

245.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.95 SAR 7.31

10.77%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.11 SAR 7.93

37.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.70 SAR 21.42

125.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$7.80 SAR 29.31

28.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.98 SAR 48.76

22.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.18 SAR 8.20

50.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.72 SAR 6.45

16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.59 SAR 5.96

38.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.64 SAR 2.39

268.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.12 SAR 4.21

83.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.10 SAR 4.12

72.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.91 SAR 3.41

76.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.50 SAR 1.89

180.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.62 SAR 24.85

-17.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-67.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$36.12 SAR 136

-42.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.36 SAR 8.86

-11.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.51 SAR 1.92

9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.10 SAR 49.20

-55.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.61 SAR 2.30

163.93%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$35.8K SAR 134.6K

-36.26%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$20.8K SAR 78.2K

28.48%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$103 SAR 388

-36.87%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$33.42 SAR 126

-9.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$58.3 SAR 219

-36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$82.7 SAR 311

-27.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$37.55 SAR 141

-29.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.21 SAR 49.60

-46.71%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$270 SAR 1,015

71.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$7,795 SAR 29.3K

70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$31.48 SAR 118

141.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$20.90 SAR 78.5

167.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$94.6 SAR 355

18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$90.4 SAR 340

33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$574 SAR 2,157

92.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$346 SAR 1,298

108.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$873 SAR 3,281

189.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$547 SAR 2,055

136.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$951 SAR 3,573

319.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$783 SAR 2,942

166.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,249 SAR 8,448

-53.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.5

105.45%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Qatif: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $574 in Qatif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Qatif pays 117% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $35.00 in Qatif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $184 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,080 including rent). Qatif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 117% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $574 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 74% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $270 in Qatif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,080 in Qatif versus $1,660 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 54% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.