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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,159 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,646 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,134 in Sakakah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 27% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Sakakah is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.82 SAR 21.87

125.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$45.09 SAR 169

18.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.89 SAR 29.64

18.25%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.67 SAR 13.78

0.82%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.65 SAR 2.44

146.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.32 SAR 1.18

250.00%

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

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.93 SAR 3.48

191.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.38 SAR 8.94

-19.75%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.40 SAR 9.01

7.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$7.02 SAR 26.35

39.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$7.57 SAR 28.42

11.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.80 SAR 48.06

-6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.19 SAR 8.24

34.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.57 SAR 5.91

10.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.70 SAR 6.38

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.64 SAR 6.14

25.61%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.24 SAR 4.65

73.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$1.33 SAR 4.98

69.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.19 SAR 4.46

16.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.54 SAR 2.04

107.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.82

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$7.09 SAR 26.61

-40.48%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.91

-66.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$40.00 SAR 150

-51.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$2.59 SAR 9.72

-46.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.92 SAR 7.23

-85.42%

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

$0.61 SAR 2.30

122.95%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$26.9K SAR 101.2K

-29.11%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

5.31%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$104 SAR 391

-61.06%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$34.12 SAR 128

-19.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$73.1 SAR 275

-58.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$59.7 SAR 224

-12.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$35.17 SAR 132

-24.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$15.58 SAR 58.5

-60.27%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$359 SAR 1,347

18.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$6,946 SAR 26.1K

54.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$59.0 SAR 222

-1.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$59.7 SAR 224

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$80.7 SAR 303

28.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$81.6 SAR 307

33.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$226 SAR 850

347.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$377 SAR 1,416

65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$344 SAR 1,293

515.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$308 SAR 1,156

297.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$2,298 SAR 8,629

65.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$1,294 SAR 4,859

63.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$922 SAR 3,464

14.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.42

156.56%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $226 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 14% 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 $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $195 per month, with Sakakah 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 Sakakah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sakakah differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $1,159 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 14% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $226 in Sakakah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sakakah runs roughly 107% 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 $359 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,159 in Sakakah versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sakakah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sakakah 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 Sakakah 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 Sakakah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.