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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $1,221 in Tabuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,862 in Tabuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,503 in Tabuk.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 35% more expensive than in Tabuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Tabuk is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$7.34 SAR 27.57

64.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$31.86 SAR 120

63.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$7.78 SAR 29.21

40.10%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$3.14 SAR 11.81

28.98%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.74 SAR 2.77

132.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.26 SAR 0.97

430.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.98 SAR 7.43

-6.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$0.86 SAR 3.22

274.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$2.68 SAR 10.06

-22.01%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$2.97 SAR 11.15

-2.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$12.18 SAR 45.73

2.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.83 SAR 25.66

48.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$13.05 SAR 49.01

21.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$1.98 SAR 7.45

67.17%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.65 SAR 6.20

29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$1.79 SAR 6.71

22.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$2.22 SAR 8.32

10.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$1.70 SAR 6.39

28.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$2.08 SAR 7.82

-8.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$1.98 SAR 7.42

-18.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.56 SAR 2.11

141.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.39

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$6.75 SAR 25.34

-19.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-68.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$36.27 SAR 136

-40.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$2.97 SAR 11.14

-31.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$1.82 SAR 6.84

-68.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$13.37 SAR 50.2

-55.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.61 SAR 2.30

165.57%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$45.5K SAR 170.8K

-49.85%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$21.1K SAR 79.2K

26.41%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$99.4 SAR 373

-34.37%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$37.39 SAR 140

-20.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$76.3 SAR 286

-52.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$82.9 SAR 311

-26.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$37.30 SAR 140

-28.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$13.11 SAR 49.24

-47.75%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$338 SAR 1,269

34.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$8,501 SAR 31.9K

57.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$50.8 SAR 191

47.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$60.2 SAR 226

-8.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$95.7 SAR 359

18.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$89.1 SAR 334

37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$336 SAR 1,263

236.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$371 SAR 1,393

92.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$620 SAR 2,326

314.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$611 SAR 2,296

114.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$2,388 SAR 8,968

67.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$1,398 SAR 5,248

49.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$1,707 SAR 6,409

-38.67%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Tabuk: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $336 in Tabuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tabuk pays 63% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Tabuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $223 per month, with Tabuk 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 Tabuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Tabuk differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $1,221 including rent). Tabuk is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 63% lower in Tabuk. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $336 in Tabuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tabuk runs roughly 68% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Mexico City versus $338 in Tabuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,221 in Tabuk versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tabuk but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Tabuk 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 Tabuk 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 Tabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.