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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,000 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,512 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,023 in Yanbu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 45% more expensive than Yanbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Yanbu is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$6.59 SAR 24.73

96.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$37.96 SAR 142

38.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.49 SAR 24.34

45.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 SAR 7.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.74 SAR 14.05

-4.55%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.70 SAR 2.62

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.23 SAR 0.86

400.00%

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

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.87 SAR 3.28

203.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$2.20 SAR 8.24

-13.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$2.64 SAR 9.90

-3.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.85 SAR 21.96

72.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$7.92 SAR 29.72

4.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$12.20 SAR 45.78

-5.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$2.16 SAR 8.11

40.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.56 SAR 5.87

9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.46 SAR 5.46

40.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$1.54 SAR 5.80

33.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$1.26 SAR 4.71

63.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.97 SAR 3.62

123.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$1.10 SAR 4.12

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.55 SAR 2.08

103.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$6.24 SAR 23.41

-31.25%

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

$33.86 SAR 127

-43.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.26 SAR 12.23

-57.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$0.78 SAR 2.92

-64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$15.35 SAR 57.6

-64.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.57 SAR 2.14

124.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$25.9K SAR 97.2K

-26.73%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$21.9K SAR 82.0K

7.33%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$106 SAR 398

-61.31%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$22.79 SAR 85.5

18.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$68.7 SAR 258

-56.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$97.5 SAR 366

-46.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$35.04 SAR 132

-25.14%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$13.12 SAR 49.23

-52.90%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$315 SAR 1,181

35.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,765 SAR 14.1K

184.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$23.07 SAR 86.6

146.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$20.91 SAR 78.5

114.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$66.3 SAR 249

57.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$48.58 SAR 182

118.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$316 SAR 1,185

215.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$244 SAR 914

155.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$606 SAR 2,274

250.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$410 SAR 1,539

205.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$3,532 SAR 13.3K

-68.65%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $316 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 219% 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 $38.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $1,000 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yanbu earns 219% 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 $316 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 78% 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 $315 in Yanbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,000 in Yanbu versus $1,447 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 45% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.