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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,106 in Salalah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,665 in Salalah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,225 in Salalah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 32% more expensive than in Salalah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Salalah is 17% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.07 MX$229
$5.13 OMR 1.98
154.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.8 MX$940
$25.64 OMR 9.87
109.63%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.68 MX$169
$13.10 OMR 5.04
-26.11%
Cappuccino
$3.74 MX$65.4
$6.19 OMR 2.38
-39.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 MX$28.25
$0.68 OMR 0.26
138.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 MX$20.31
$0.25 OMR 0.10
364.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.23 MX$56.4
$8.92 OMR 3.44
-63.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74 MX$82.9
$10.37 OMR 3.99
-54.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.65 MX$28.80
$1.76 OMR 0.68
-6.25%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 MX$48.15
$1.27 OMR 0.49
116.54%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.77
$2.02 OMR 0.78
-7.43%
Eggs
$2.50 MX$43.72
$1.90 OMR 0.73
31.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.20 MX$178
$6.73 OMR 2.59
51.56%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.25 MX$144
$4.65 OMR 1.79
77.42%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.82 MX$207
$8.84 OMR 3.40
33.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.01 MX$52.6
$2.04 OMR 0.79
47.55%
Banana (1kg)
$1.81 MX$31.67
$1.09 OMR 0.42
66.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.00 MX$34.96
$1.59 OMR 0.61
25.79%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 MX$34.89
$1.14 OMR 0.44
75.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$36.45
$1.12 OMR 0.43
85.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.27 MX$39.72
$0.78 OMR 0.30
191.03%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.46 MX$25.47
$0.54 OMR 0.21
170.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.82
$0.54 OMR 0.21
100.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 MX$76.0
$5.88 OMR 2.26
-26.02%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.99 MX$297
$20.01 OMR 7.70
-15.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.73 MX$30.31
$3.84 OMR 1.48
-54.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 MX$62.5
$4.82 OMR 1.85
-25.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.39 MX$6.77
$1.28 OMR 0.49
-69.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$18.69 MX$327
$54.3 OMR 20.89
-65.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.33 MX$23.18
$2.35 OMR 0.90
-43.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.28 MX$4.89
$1.33 OMR 0.51
-78.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.25 MX$91.8
$11.83 OMR 4.55
-55.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 MX$23.37
$0.60 OMR 0.23
123.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K MX$339.4K
$21.1K OMR 8,114
-7.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.8K MX$416.7K
$18.5K OMR 7,127
28.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$40.69 MX$712
$63.8 OMR 24.55
-36.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$26.87 MX$470
$49.44 OMR 19.03
-45.65%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.51 MX$534
$77.0 OMR 29.62
-60.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 MX$923
$93.1 OMR 35.81
-43.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.65 MX$466
$25.71 OMR 9.90
3.66%
Cinema Ticket
$6.51 MX$114
$8.03 OMR 3.09
-18.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$428 MX$7,485
$111 OMR 42.87
284.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.5K MX$183.6K
$2,399 OMR 923
337.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.3 MX$1,001
$27.70 OMR 10.66
106.68%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.50 MX$796
$30.71 OMR 11.82
48.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 MX$1,819
$62.2 OMR 23.95
67.26%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 MX$1,885
$42.75 OMR 16.46
152.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,003 MX$17.5K
$259 OMR 99.7
287.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$623 MX$10.9K
$208 OMR 80.2
198.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,109 MX$36.9K
$500 OMR 193
321.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,218 MX$21.3K
$367 OMR 141
231.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,885 MX$67.9K
$2,034 OMR 783
91.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,033 MX$35.5K
$1,218 OMR 469
66.91%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Salalah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,038 MX$18.1K
$1,785 OMR 687
-41.87%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.34
4.58
147.60%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Salalah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $259 in Salalah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salalah pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Salalah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $227 per month, with Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and in Salalah?
Mexico City and Salalah differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,106 including rent). Salalah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Salalah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Mexico City and in Salalah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $259 in Salalah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and in Salalah?
A monthly transit pass in Salalah runs roughly 190% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Mexico City and Salalah?
Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $111 in Salalah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,106 in Salalah versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salalah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Salalah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Salalah?
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.
Is Mexico City or Salalah safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Mexico City and Salalah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Salalah?
Expats usually find Salalah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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