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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $1,038 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,626 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $2,214 in Yanbu.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 60% more expensive than in Yanbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Yanbu is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$6.51 SAR 24.47

83.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$37.19 SAR 140

38.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$6.85 SAR 25.73

66.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.96

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.57 SAR 13.40

11.76%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.79 SAR 2.97

110.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.20 SAR 0.77

565.00%

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

$1.70 SAR 6.40

10.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.88 SAR 3.32

269.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$2.39 SAR 8.97

21.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$6.34 SAR 23.82

102.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$8.25 SAR 30.98

21.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$13.30 SAR 49.97

19.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$2.09 SAR 7.86

57.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.72 SAR 6.45

16.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$1.51 SAR 5.67

45.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$1.67 SAR 6.29

41.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$1.17 SAR 4.38

75.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$1.09 SAR 4.11

74.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$1.04 SAR 3.92

54.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.53 SAR 2.00

164.15%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 SAR 7.93

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$6.72 SAR 25.24

-18.75%

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

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-67.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$26.14 SAR 98.2

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$3.21 SAR 12.07

-34.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$0.78 SAR 2.93

-28.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$13.61 SAR 51.1

-57.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.62 SAR 2.33

159.68%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$46.4K SAR 174.3K

-50.79%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$21.4K SAR 80.6K

24.73%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$102 SAR 384

-36.21%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$22.45 SAR 84.3

34.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$67.4 SAR 253

-44.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$95.1 SAR 357

-37.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$26.16 SAR 98.2

1.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$11.96 SAR 44.91

-41.14%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$266 SAR 998

74.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$3,837 SAR 14.4K

245.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$67.1 SAR 252

13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$60.9 SAR 229

-8.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$97.9 SAR 368

14.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$97.9 SAR 368

23.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$313 SAR 1,176

252.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$210 SAR 790

242.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$595 SAR 2,234

325.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$425 SAR 1,597

204.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$3,470 SAR 13.0K

-70.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.39

109.65%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $313 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 234% 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 $37.00 in Yanbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $196 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 60% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $1,038 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 234% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $313 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 26% 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 $266 in Yanbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,038 in Yanbu versus $1,660 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 60% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.