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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,192 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,646 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,100 in Sakakah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 25% more expensive than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.98 SAR 22.41

117.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$45.23 SAR 170

17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.98 SAR 29.92

21.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.62 SAR 13.57

3.59%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.65 SAR 2.43

141.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.34 SAR 1.28

232.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.69 SAR 6.36

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.96 SAR 3.58

182.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.29 SAR 8.58

-17.90%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.50 SAR 9.38

0.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$6.82 SAR 25.59

47.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.51 SAR 28.18

10.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.00 SAR 48.76

-8.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.18 SAR 8.18

31.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.60 SAR 5.98

9.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.67 SAR 6.27

24.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.61 SAR 6.04

22.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.30 SAR 4.87

66.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.33 SAR 4.99

63.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.18 SAR 4.43

17.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.54 SAR 2.03

107.41%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$7.21 SAR 27.03

-41.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.06 SAR 3.97

-63.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$40.48 SAR 152

-53.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.62 SAR 9.84

-46.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.85 SAR 6.93

-83.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$13.21 SAR 49.52

-58.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.58 SAR 2.16

132.76%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

-28.30%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

2.89%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$107 SAR 401

-61.85%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$33.51 SAR 126

-17.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$71.6 SAR 268

-57.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$59.1 SAR 222

-9.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$36.11 SAR 135

-27.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$15.56 SAR 58.3

-59.70%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$352 SAR 1,320

23.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$6,865 SAR 25.7K

52.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$59.7 SAR 224

-4.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$61.3 SAR 230

-26.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$78.2 SAR 293

31.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$82.1 SAR 308

31.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$223 SAR 835

348.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$383 SAR 1,437

61.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$341 SAR 1,278

526.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$300 SAR 1,126

311.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$2,346 SAR 8,796

64.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,535 SAR 5,755

51.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$928 SAR 3,480

14.99%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $223 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 15% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $45.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $196 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,192 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 15% more on average, 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $223 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 117% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $352 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,192 in Sakakah versus $1,484 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 25% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.