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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $994 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,525 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,056 in Yanbu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 48% more expensive than in Yanbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Yanbu is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$6.51 SAR 24.44

101.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$37.99 SAR 143

40.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.51 SAR 24.46

43.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.59 SAR 13.49

3.06%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.75 SAR 2.83

113.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.23 SAR 0.86

386.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.87 SAR 3.28

211.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-14.73%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$2.72 SAR 10.20

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$6.04 SAR 22.68

62.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$7.76 SAR 29.14

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.21 SAR 45.86

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.07 SAR 7.77

42.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.64 SAR 6.17

6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.38 SAR 5.19

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$1.54 SAR 5.80

33.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$1.28 SAR 4.79

67.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.96 SAR 3.59

135.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$1.09 SAR 4.11

27.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.56 SAR 2.09

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$6.47 SAR 24.30

-34.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$1.05 SAR 3.93

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$33.24 SAR 125

-41.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.28 SAR 12.31

-57.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$0.78 SAR 2.94

-64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$15.10 SAR 56.7

-65.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.62 SAR 2.31

119.35%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

-27.02%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

9.40%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$105 SAR 396

-61.57%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$22.77 SAR 85.5

20.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$69.1 SAR 259

-56.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$95.9 SAR 360

-45.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$35.52 SAR 133

-25.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$13.30 SAR 49.95

-53.46%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$323 SAR 1,214

31.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

183.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$22.81 SAR 85.6

155.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$21.00 SAR 78.9

112.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$66.3 SAR 249

56.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$47.66 SAR 179

128.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$314 SAR 1,177

223.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$244 SAR 915

155.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$585 SAR 2,198

262.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$412 SAR 1,546

197.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

-69.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

3.3

243.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $314 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 231% 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 $38.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $189 per month, with Yanbu 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 Yanbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Yanbu differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $994 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 231% lower in Yanbu. 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $314 in Yanbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $323 in Yanbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $994 in Yanbu versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yanbu but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Yanbu 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 Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.