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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,197 in Sakakah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,662 in Sakakah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,128 in Sakakah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 21% more expensive than Sakakah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Sakakah is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.02 SAR 22.58

115.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$44.16 SAR 166

19.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.81 SAR 29.31

20.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.08 SAR 7.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.55 SAR 13.33

0.56%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.64 SAR 2.40

151.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.34 SAR 1.28

238.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.66 SAR 6.21

2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$1.01 SAR 3.80

161.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.40 SAR 9.00

-20.83%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.45 SAR 9.19

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$6.68 SAR 25.08

50.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$7.55 SAR 28.33

9.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.22 SAR 49.59

-12.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.17 SAR 8.15

39.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.62 SAR 6.08

5.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.74 SAR 6.53

17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.56 SAR 5.84

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.28 SAR 4.80

60.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$1.28 SAR 4.79

69.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.24 SAR 4.67

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.55 SAR 2.07

103.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.64 SAR 9.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.81 SAR 25.55

-37.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$1.09 SAR 4.09

-65.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$39.20 SAR 147

-51.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.67 SAR 10.03

-48.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.92 SAR 7.19

-85.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$13.16 SAR 49.39

-58.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.57 SAR 2.15

124.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$26.7K SAR 100.1K

-28.83%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.5K SAR 84.4K

4.34%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$105 SAR 393

-60.88%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$33.95 SAR 127

-20.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$72.6 SAR 272

-59.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$59.7 SAR 224

-12.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$34.94 SAR 131

-24.93%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$15.79 SAR 59.3

-60.86%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$355 SAR 1,332

20.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$7,103 SAR 26.7K

50.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$58.7 SAR 220

-3.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$60.3 SAR 226

-25.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$78.0 SAR 293

33.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$82.3 SAR 309

28.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$222 SAR 835

347.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$377 SAR 1,414

64.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$342 SAR 1,285

520.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$310 SAR 1,163

304.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,343 SAR 8,794

66.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,358 SAR 5,097

54.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$931 SAR 3,495

18.87%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sakakah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $222 in Sakakah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 19% 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 $44.00 in Sakakah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $197 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,197 including rent). Sakakah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 19% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $222 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 106% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $355 in Sakakah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,197 in Sakakah versus $1,447 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 21% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.