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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,148 in Rabigh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,667 in Rabigh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,186 in Rabigh.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 26% more expensive than Rabigh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Rabigh is 15% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.90 SAR 14.63

232.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$21.09 SAR 79.1

149.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.15 SAR 26.82

31.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 SAR 2.87

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.42 SAR 9.06

47.52%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.64 SAR 2.39

151.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.11 SAR 0.42

945.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.30 SAR 4.88

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.28 SAR 1.06

842.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.34 SAR 8.77

-18.80%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.22 SAR 8.32

14.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.48 SAR 20.56

83.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.94 SAR 18.55

67.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.57 SAR 47.16

-7.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.18 SAR 8.17

38.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.60 SAR 6.00

6.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.58 SAR 5.92

29.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.30 SAR 4.87

58.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.33 SAR 4.98

54.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.25 SAR 4.70

73.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.09 SAR 4.10

28.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.56 SAR 2.09

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.14 SAR 15.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 SAR 9.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.72 SAR 10.21

57.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-63.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$40.05 SAR 150

-52.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.29 SAR 12.36

-58.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$15.02 SAR 56.4

-63.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.59 SAR 2.23

116.95%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$27.1K SAR 101.6K

-29.90%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.1K SAR 82.8K

6.34%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$107 SAR 402

-61.71%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$32.50 SAR 122

-17.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$69.0 SAR 259

-56.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$87.0 SAR 326

-39.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$35.38 SAR 133

-25.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-54.36%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$401 SAR 1,504

6.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,411 SAR 24.1K

66.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$63.6 SAR 239

-10.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$58.4 SAR 219

-23.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$93.5 SAR 351

11.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$82.9 SAR 311

27.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$282 SAR 1,059

252.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$382 SAR 1,434

62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$523 SAR 1,962

306.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$620 SAR 2,326

102.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,005 SAR 7,525

94.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,394 SAR 5,231

50.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.5

152.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $282 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $21.00 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $164 per month, with Rabigh 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 Rabigh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Rabigh differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,148 including rent). Rabigh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,722 in Rabigh to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $282 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Rabigh runs roughly 110% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $401 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Rabigh versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Rabigh but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Rabigh 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 Rabigh 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 Rabigh gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.