Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Rabigh

For one person, living is cheaper in Rabigh: $953 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mexico City, Mexico
Rabigh, Saudi Arabia
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Rabigh
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$953
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mexico City and in Rabigh

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mexico City and in Rabigh actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,608 in Mexico City versus $953 in Rabigh.

  • Mexico City $1,608
  • Rabigh $953

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Mexico City versus $1,456 in Rabigh.

  • Mexico City $2,549
  • Rabigh $1,456

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,490 in Mexico City versus $1,960 in Rabigh.

  • Mexico City $3,490
  • Rabigh $1,960

Living in Mexico City is roughly 69% more expensive than in Rabigh, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 18% above, Rabigh is 30% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.62 MX$198
$4.66 SAR 17.49
127.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.35 MX$901
$26.40 SAR 99.1
83.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.35 MX$193
$6.97 SAR 26.15
48.49%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.52 SAR 5.72
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 SAR 5.92
-
Cappuccino
$3.69 MX$68.8
$2.57 SAR 9.63
43.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 MX$31.07
$0.70 SAR 2.63
138.57%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.59
$0.23 SAR 0.86
452.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.19 MX$59.5
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.31 MX$98.9
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.72 MX$32.15
$1.88 SAR 7.06
-8.51%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 MX$56.7
$1.02 SAR 3.82
198.04%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$2.19 SAR 8.23
-11.42%
Eggs
$2.89 MX$53.8
$2.56 SAR 9.61
12.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.97 MX$205
$6.08 SAR 22.80
80.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.25 MX$172
$12.04 SAR 45.17
-23.17%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 MX$282
$12.95 SAR 48.60
16.83%
Apples (1kg)
$3.05 MX$56.8
$2.08 SAR 7.81
46.63%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 MX$36.19
$1.62 SAR 6.08
19.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 MX$37.75
$1.80 SAR 6.76
12.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.31 MX$43.15
$1.50 SAR 5.62
54.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.04 MX$37.94
$1.33 SAR 4.99
53.38%
Onion (1kg)
$1.80 MX$33.55
$1.51 SAR 5.67
19.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.48 MX$27.58
$1.06 SAR 3.97
39.62%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 MX$23.63
$0.74 SAR 2.77
71.62%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$2.89 SAR 10.84
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.19 SAR 8.22
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.56 SAR 5.85
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.30 MX$98.9
$7.94 SAR 29.80
-33.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.10 MX$300
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.98 MX$36.97
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.25 MX$79.3
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 MX$5.69
$1.08 SAR 4.06
-71.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.73 MX$368
$33.60 SAR 126
-41.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.84 MX$34.25
$2.41 SAR 9.06
-23.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.53 MX$9.94
$2.61 SAR 9.80
-79.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.30 MX$98.7
$13.48 SAR 50.6
-60.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.51 MX$28.16
$0.61 SAR 2.27
147.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.8K MX$405.5K
$26.6K SAR 99.9K
-18.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.0K MX$447.1K
$21.4K SAR 80.3K
12.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$63.0 MX$1,174
$66.6 SAR 250
-5.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.39 MX$511
$34.24 SAR 128
-20.01%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$35.67 MX$665
$63.8 SAR 239
-44.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$58.9 MX$1,099
$74.0 SAR 277
-20.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$23.64 MX$441
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.40 MX$119
$15.35 SAR 57.6
-58.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$432 MX$8,045
$428 SAR 1,606
0.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.4K MX$212.9K
$7,737 SAR 29.0K
47.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.2 MX$1,272
$13.32 SAR 49.99
412.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$53.1 MX$990
$55.3 SAR 207
-3.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$108 MX$2,009
$39.72 SAR 149
171.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$117 MX$2,186
$53.7 SAR 201
118.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,113 MX$20.8K
$335 SAR 1,258
232.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$710 MX$13.2K
$244 SAR 917
190.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,588 MX$48.2K
$610 SAR 2,290
323.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,406 MX$26.2K
$424 SAR 1,591
231.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,631 MX$67.7K
$1,728 SAR 6,484
110.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,135 MX$39.8K
$1,478 SAR 5,546
44.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Rabigh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$946 MX$17.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.35
5.25
116.19%

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

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Last update for Rabigh: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
$710
Rabigh
$244 65.6% $466
Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
$320
Rabigh
$220 31.1% $99
Eating Out
Mexico City
$199
Rabigh
$93 53.3% $106
Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
$156
Rabigh
$73 53.2% $83
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
$126
Rabigh
$165 30.6% $39
Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
$72
Rabigh
$105 45.9% $33
Getting Around
Mexico City
$25
Rabigh
$53 110% $28

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,113 in Mexico City and $335 in Rabigh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48 in Mexico City vs $26 in Rabigh for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $320 vs $220 per month, with Rabigh cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🇸🇦 Rabigh
🕒 Local time
11:59 11:59 AM
20:59 8:59 PM
9 h ahead of Mexico City
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
9,209,944 Capital
92,072
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

SAR, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.64 MXN (100 MXN = 5.36 USD). 1 EUR = 20.75 MXN (100 MXN = 4.82 EUR).

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.18 SAR (1 SAR = 0.239 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mexico City Rabigh 13,480 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mexico City
  • Rabigh

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Rabigh?
Mexico City and Rabigh differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,608 vs $953 including rent). Rabigh is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Mexico City compared to Rabigh?
You’d need roughly $2,412 in Mexico City and $1,429 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Rabigh?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,113 in Mexico City versus $335 in Rabigh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Rabigh?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 41% less than in Rabigh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Rabigh?
Childcare runs $432 in Mexico City versus $428 in Rabigh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Rabigh?
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.

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