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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $986 in Yanbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,533 in Yanbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $2,081 in Yanbu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Yanbu is 26% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$6.73 SAR 25.25

92.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$37.95 SAR 142

39.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.59 SAR 24.70

47.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 SAR 7.45

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.10

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.68 SAR 13.78

1.90%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.76 SAR 2.84

106.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.23 SAR 0.86

391.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-5.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.92 SAR 3.44

194.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$2.24 SAR 8.42

-16.07%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$2.71 SAR 10.16

-7.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$5.87 SAR 22.03

71.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.63 SAR 28.62

8.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$11.93 SAR 44.75

0.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$2.17 SAR 8.13

31.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.65 SAR 6.18

6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$1.45 SAR 5.42

43.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$1.53 SAR 5.72

28.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$1.26 SAR 4.71

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$1.01 SAR 3.78

115.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$1.06 SAR 3.99

31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.51 SAR 1.92

119.61%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 SAR 6.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$6.26 SAR 23.48

-32.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$1.05 SAR 3.95

-62.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$32.80 SAR 123

-43.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.15 SAR 11.82

-55.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$0.84 SAR 3.14

-64.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$15.32 SAR 57.4

-64.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.62 SAR 2.32

117.74%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$25.6K SAR 96.1K

-26.32%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$21.5K SAR 80.6K

7.72%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$108 SAR 403

-62.05%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$22.12 SAR 82.9

24.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$70.5 SAR 264

-56.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$96.9 SAR 364

-44.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$35.37 SAR 133

-25.64%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$13.13 SAR 49.25

-52.25%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$322 SAR 1,209

35.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,842 SAR 14.4K

172.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$22.59 SAR 84.7

151.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$21.69 SAR 81.4

106.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$66.6 SAR 250

54.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$47.14 SAR 177

128.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$307 SAR 1,153

225.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$242 SAR 907

156.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$607 SAR 2,277

251.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$405 SAR 1,517

205.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$3,459 SAR 13.0K

-69.15%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Yanbu: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $307 in Yanbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 224% 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 $286 vs $188 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 51% in total monthly costs ($1,484 vs $986 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Yanbu earns 224% 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $307 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 76% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $322 in Yanbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $986 in Yanbu versus $1,484 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 51% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.