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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,137 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,769 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,400 in Sakakah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 46% more expensive than in Sakakah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Sakakah is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$5.76 SAR 21.64

106.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$37.38 SAR 140

38.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$8.12 SAR 30.50

40.52%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.15 SAR 8.09

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.53 SAR 13.25

13.03%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.70 SAR 2.64

137.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.31 SAR 1.18

329.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.72 SAR 6.47

9.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$1.11 SAR 4.16

192.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.21 SAR 8.32

-2.26%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.35 SAR 8.83

23.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.58 SAR 28.47

69.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$7.88 SAR 29.59

27.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.71 SAR 47.75

24.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.19 SAR 8.23

50.23%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.69 SAR 6.34

18.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.60 SAR 6.02

37.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.68 SAR 6.32

40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.13 SAR 4.23

81.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.32 SAR 4.96

43.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.14 SAR 4.30

41.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.56 SAR 2.10

150.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.39

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 SAR 8.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.53 SAR 24.54

-16.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.08 SAR 4.07

-68.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$35.35 SAR 133

-41.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.96 SAR 11.10

-29.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.78 SAR 6.68

-68.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.12 SAR 49.28

-55.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.62 SAR 2.34

159.68%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$45.4K SAR 170.6K

-49.70%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$21.2K SAR 79.7K

26.10%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$102 SAR 383

-36.16%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$32.65 SAR 123

-7.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$66.4 SAR 249

-43.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$83.6 SAR 314

-28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$36.48 SAR 137

-27.22%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.47 SAR 50.6

-47.74%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$343 SAR 1,286

35.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,627 SAR 24.9K

100.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$50.6 SAR 190

49.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$58.3 SAR 219

-4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$96.8 SAR 364

15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$90.3 SAR 339

33.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$586 SAR 2,201

88.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$340 SAR 1,276

112.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$867 SAR 3,257

191.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$541 SAR 2,034

138.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,314 SAR 8,693

72.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,398 SAR 5,249

49.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$934 SAR 3,508

11.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.47

106.58%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $586 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 11% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $200 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,137 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 11% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $586 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 70% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $343 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,137 in Sakakah versus $1,660 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 46% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.