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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $916 in Taif.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,470 in Taif.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $2,023 in Taif.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 59% more expensive than in Taif, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Taif is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.30 SAR 19.91

146.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$40.54 SAR 152

32.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.80 SAR 25.53

42.35%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.94 SAR 11.04

27.21%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.77 SAR 2.91

110.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.28 SAR 1.06

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.36 SAR 5.10

21.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.28 SAR 1.05

882.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-18.34%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$2.58 SAR 9.70

-3.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.26 SAR 27.28

40.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$6.23 SAR 23.38

32.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.61 SAR 39.86

11.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$2.28 SAR 8.57

32.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.62 SAR 6.09

11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.98 SAR 7.45

1.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$1.83 SAR 6.88

9.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$1.44 SAR 5.40

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$1.62 SAR 6.07

40.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.93 SAR 3.48

56.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$1.03 SAR 3.87

4.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$6.73 SAR 25.26

-35.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-64.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$39.58 SAR 149

-52.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-49.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.02 SAR 7.58

-86.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$13.06 SAR 49.03

-59.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.63 SAR 2.37

112.70%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$20.0K SAR 75.1K

-2.88%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

15.90%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$75.3 SAR 283

-45.93%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$28.59 SAR 107

-6.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$85.9 SAR 323

-64.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$76.7 SAR 288

-31.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$37.83 SAR 142

-29.55%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$17.16 SAR 64.4

-62.06%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$263 SAR 986

63.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

86.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$39.70 SAR 149

44.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$41.96 SAR 158

8.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$77.7 SAR 292

34.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$47.39 SAR 178

127.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$215 SAR 808

366.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$172 SAR 644

262.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$437 SAR 1,642

382.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$347 SAR 1,302

251.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$2,332 SAR 8,755

66.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$1,352 SAR 5,076

50.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$1,814 SAR 6,812

-42.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

4.6

146.52%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $215 in Taif. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 75% 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 $41.00 in Taif for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $182 per month, with Taif 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 Taif: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Taif differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $916 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 75% lower in Taif. 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $215 in Taif. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Taif runs roughly 112% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $263 in Taif. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $916 in Taif versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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 Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.