😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $1,146 in Unaizah.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,774 in Unaizah.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,402 in Unaizah.
😐Living in Mexico City is roughly 29% more expensive than Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Unaizah is 14% below.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$12.98MX$227
$6.47SAR 24.26
100.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1MX$929
$40.06SAR 150
32.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.72MX$170
$7.04SAR 26.39
38.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.57SAR 5.90
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.30SAR 4.86
-
Cappuccino
$3.75MX$65.6
$4.07SAR 15.26
-7.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.57MX$27.46
$0.72SAR 2.72
118.06%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.13MX$19.76
$0.28SAR 1.06
303.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.18MX$55.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.66MX$81.6
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62MX$28.37
$1.50SAR 5.61
8.00%
White Bread(500g)
$2.71MX$47.36
$0.29SAR 1.08
834.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.88MX$32.89
$2.26SAR 8.49
-16.81%
Eggs
$2.51MX$43.90
$2.42SAR 9.06
3.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.08MX$176
$6.05SAR 22.69
66.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29MX$145
$4.62SAR 17.32
79.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.94MX$209
$13.08SAR 49.06
-8.72%
Apples(1kg)
$2.86MX$50.1
$2.27SAR 8.52
25.99%
Banana(1kg)
$1.75MX$30.62
$1.62SAR 6.07
8.02%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.08MX$36.48
$1.72SAR 6.45
20.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.97MX$34.46
$1.55SAR 5.82
27.10%
Potato(1kg)
$2.16MX$37.79
$1.29SAR 4.84
67.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.18MX$38.16
$2.65SAR 9.93
-17.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.39MX$24.34
$1.19SAR 4.47
16.81%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.12MX$19.69
$0.68SAR 2.55
64.71%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.09SAR 11.58
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.68SAR 6.30
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.08SAR 7.80
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20MX$73.5
$6.84SAR 25.64
-38.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.25MX$249
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76MX$30.85
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68MX$64.5
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.39MX$6.74
$1.08SAR 4.05
-63.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.66MX$327
$40.65SAR 152
-54.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.39MX$24.26
$2.60SAR 9.75
-46.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30MX$5.32
$1.88SAR 7.07
-84.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.42MX$94.9
$13.53SAR 50.7
-59.94%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35MX$23.63
$0.61SAR 2.28
121.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.9KMX$330.5K
$26.2KSAR 98.3K
-27.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.2KMX$405.2K
$21.9KSAR 82.2K
5.65%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.82MX$714
$104SAR 391
-60.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.50MX$481
$33.59SAR 126
-18.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$30.38MX$532
$71.8SAR 269
-57.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$53.4MX$935
$53.9SAR 202
-0.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.30MX$460
$35.68SAR 134
-26.29%
Cinema Ticket
$6.27MX$110
$15.43SAR 57.9
-59.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$436MX$7,632
$358SAR 1,341
21.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.5KMX$183.2K
$7,080SAR 26.6K
47.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.8MX$993
$60.1SAR 225
-5.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.79MX$784
$60.8SAR 228
-26.33%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103MX$1,799
$78.6SAR 295
30.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108MX$1,888
$80.4SAR 302
34.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000MX$17.5K
$448SAR 1,679
123.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$620MX$10.9K
$374SAR 1,404
65.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,137MX$37.4K
$847SAR 3,175
152.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,235MX$21.6K
$630SAR 2,364
95.91%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,865MX$67.6K
$2,243SAR 8,410
72.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,332MX$40.8K
$1,249SAR 4,683
86.76%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mexico City
Unaizah
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,067MX$18.7K
$2,542SAR 9,532
-58.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.34
4.42
156.56%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Mexico City: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Unaizah: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $448 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Unaizah pays 138% 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 $40.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $175 per month, with Unaizah cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Mexico City vs Unaizah: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
What is the total cost difference between living in Mexico City and Unaizah?
Mexico City and Unaizah differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $1,146 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Unaizah earns 138% less. 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 Unaizah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $448 in Unaizah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Mexico City and Unaizah?
A monthly transit pass in Unaizah runs roughly 118% 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 Unaizah?
Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $358 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,146 in Unaizah versus $1,484 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.
How does quality of life compare between Mexico City and Unaizah?
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 Unaizah safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Mexico City or Unaizah?
Expats usually find Unaizah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Mexico City vs otros destinos: coste de vida comparado