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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,150 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,739 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,327 in Unaizah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 26% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Unaizah is 14% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.78 SAR 25.44

91.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$40.62 SAR 152

29.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.14 SAR 26.79

32.07%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 SAR 4.88

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$4.01 SAR 15.04

-10.97%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.68 SAR 2.54

136.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.26 SAR 0.97

342.31%

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

$1.47 SAR 5.50

15.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.31 SAR 1.18

751.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.35 SAR 8.81

-19.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.45 SAR 9.20

3.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.89 SAR 22.11

71.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.73 SAR 17.76

75.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.18 SAR 49.44

-12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.26 SAR 8.50

34.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.64 SAR 6.16

4.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.72 SAR 6.46

19.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.55 SAR 5.82

32.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.24 SAR 4.67

66.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-18.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.23 SAR 4.60

13.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.70 SAR 2.63

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.55

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.95 SAR 26.10

-38.27%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.05

-64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$39.73 SAR 149

-52.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.70 SAR 10.15

-48.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.84 SAR 6.89

-84.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-60.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.64 SAR 2.40

100.00%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$26.6K SAR 100.0K

-28.76%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$22.4K SAR 84.2K

4.56%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$106 SAR 397

-61.20%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$33.99 SAR 128

-20.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$73.3 SAR 275

-59.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$53.0 SAR 199

-1.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$36.24 SAR 136

-27.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$15.77 SAR 59.2

-60.81%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$353 SAR 1,324

21.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$6,938 SAR 26.0K

54.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$58.1 SAR 218

-2.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$59.6 SAR 224

-24.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$79.8 SAR 299

30.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$80.3 SAR 301

31.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$431 SAR 1,618

130.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$381 SAR 1,429

63.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$864 SAR 3,241

146.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$629 SAR 2,361

99.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$2,079 SAR 7,800

87.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,529 SAR 5,736

37.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$2,517 SAR 9,443

-56.00%

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 Unaizah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $431 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 127% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $41.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $176 per month, with Unaizah 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 Unaizah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Unaizah differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,150 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Unaizah earns 127% less. 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $431 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 108% 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 $353 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,150 in Unaizah versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Unaizah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Unaizah 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 Unaizah 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 Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.