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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,101 in Unaizah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,694 in Unaizah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,286 in Unaizah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 51% more expensive than in Unaizah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Unaizah is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.62 SAR 24.85

80.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$39.80 SAR 149

29.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.98 SAR 26.23

63.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.99 SAR 14.99

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.74 SAR 2.77

124.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.28 SAR 1.06

375.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.47 SAR 5.54

27.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.31 SAR 1.17

948.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.14 SAR 8.03

0.93%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.40 SAR 9.02

20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$5.92 SAR 22.23

117.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.60 SAR 17.26

118.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$12.73 SAR 47.81

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.15 SAR 8.08

53.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.58 SAR 5.95

27.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.54 SAR 5.80

42.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.68 SAR 6.33

40.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.18 SAR 4.44

73.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$2.62 SAR 9.85

-27.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.14 SAR 4.27

41.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.64 SAR 2.42

118.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.84 SAR 10.66

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.56 SAR 24.63

-16.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$1.06 SAR 3.98

-67.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$36.06 SAR 135

-42.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.86 SAR 10.72

-26.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.81 SAR 6.80

-69.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.51 SAR 50.7

-56.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.64 SAR 2.42

151.56%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$46.3K SAR 174.1K

-50.71%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

24.22%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$99.6 SAR 374

-34.56%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$31.98 SAR 120

-5.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$68.1 SAR 256

-45.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$53.8 SAR 202

11.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$36.87 SAR 139

-27.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$13.10 SAR 49.22

-46.26%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$347 SAR 1,303

33.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$6,702 SAR 25.2K

98.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$50.7 SAR 190

49.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$59.1 SAR 222

-5.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$96.8 SAR 364

15.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$89.2 SAR 335

35.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$576 SAR 2,163

91.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$339 SAR 1,275

112.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$893 SAR 3,353

183.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$556 SAR 2,087

132.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$2,401 SAR 9,020

66.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$1,380 SAR 5,182

51.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$2,517 SAR 9,453

-58.78%

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Unaizah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $576 in Unaizah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Unaizah pays 143% 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 $40.00 in Unaizah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $171 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,101 including rent). Unaizah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 143% lower in Unaizah. 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $576 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 73% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $347 in Unaizah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,101 in Unaizah versus $1,660 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 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.