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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,758 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,475 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,192 in Riyadh.

Living in Mexico City costs roughly 17% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Riyadh 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$8.19 SAR 30.75

59.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$53.9 SAR 202

-0.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$7.97 SAR 29.91

21.46%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.68

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$3.98 SAR 14.93

-6.03%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$0.77 SAR 2.88

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.31 SAR 1.17

274.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$1.33 SAR 4.98

106.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$2.36 SAR 8.85

-20.76%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.69 SAR 10.10

-7.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$8.48 SAR 31.84

20.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$9.90 SAR 37.17

-16.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$14.50 SAR 54.4

-18.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$2.32 SAR 8.73

29.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.74 SAR 6.52

4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$1.88 SAR 7.06

6.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$1.59 SAR 5.96

25.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.25 SAR 4.68

66.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$1.46 SAR 5.49

55.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.43 SAR 5.38

2.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.52 SAR 1.94

107.69%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$7.87 SAR 29.54

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 SAR 9.06

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$7.41 SAR 27.83

-41.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-63.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$36.88 SAR 138

-49.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$3.22 SAR 12.09

-58.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$1.84 SAR 6.93

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$13.19 SAR 49.53

-60.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.64 SAR 2.39

109.38%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$35.1K SAR 131.7K

-44.67%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

1.65%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$106 SAR 398

-61.57%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$35.14 SAR 132

-23.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$76.9 SAR 289

-60.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$106 SAR 399

-50.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$59.9 SAR 225

-55.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$16.22 SAR 60.9

-59.86%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$465 SAR 1,747

-8.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$9,542 SAR 35.8K

10.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$58.3 SAR 219

-1.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$65.1 SAR 244

-30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$110 SAR 413

-5.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$101 SAR 378

7.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$1,110 SAR 4,166

-9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$843 SAR 3,164

-26.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$2,026 SAR 7,607

4.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$1,127 SAR 4,233

8.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,911 SAR 10.9K

33.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$1,938 SAR 7,279

4.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$2,020 SAR 7,587

-48.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.31

113.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 95% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $54.0 in Riyadh. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $225, with Riyadh cheaper for home cooking.

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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Riyadh differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,758 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Riyadh. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $1,110 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 97% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $465 in Riyadh. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,758 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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 Riyadh 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.