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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,384 in Riffa versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,059 in Riffa versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,734 in Riffa versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Riffa costs roughly 6% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riffa 3% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$13.18 MX$228

-50.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.19 BHD 17.79

$53.9 MX$932

-12.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 BHD 2.30

$9.42 MX$163

-35.35%

Cappuccino

$1.96 BHD 0.74

$3.55 MX$61.4

-44.79%

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

$0.61 BHD 0.23

$1.62 MX$27.98

-62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 BHD 0.11

$1.11 MX$19.27

-74.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 BHD 3.05

$3.12 MX$54.0

159.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 BHD 4.03

$4.63 MX$80.1

130.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.70 MX$29.43

-22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$2.72 MX$47.02

-52.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$1.91 MX$33.07

24.08%

Eggs

$2.17 BHD 0.82

$2.54 MX$43.86

-14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 BHD 3.37

$10.03 MX$174

-10.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 BHD 2.62

$8.09 MX$140

-14.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$11.62 MX$201

-13.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.97 MX$51.3

-21.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BHD 0.70

$1.81 MX$31.24

2.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$2.01 MX$34.82

-11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.03 MX$35.20

-39.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$2.12 MX$36.75

-55.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.41

$2.27 MX$39.25

-52.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.40 MX$24.22

2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$1.13 MX$19.55

-54.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 BHD 2.49

$4.27 MX$73.9

54.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 BHD 5.02

$15.56 MX$269

-14.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 BHD 1.30

$1.76 MX$30.39

96.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$3.60 MX$62.2

-7.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.38 MX$6.62

102.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 BHD 12.22

$19.18 MX$332

68.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 BHD 1.71

$1.38 MX$23.79

228.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 BHD 1.52

$0.28 MX$4.78

1339.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.04 BHD 10.19

$5.45 MX$94.2

396.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$1.30 MX$22.55

-72.31%

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

$26.0K BHD 9,819

$18.7K MX$323.2K

39.38%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,776

$23.1K MX$400.1K

-10.83%

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

$122 BHD 46.10

$40.86 MX$707

199.24%

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

$26.89 BHD 10.14

$26.81 MX$464

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$29.96 MX$518

30.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 BHD 30.25

$52.0 MX$900

54.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 BHD 3.01

$6.30 MX$109

26.83%

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

$395 BHD 149

$436 MX$7,544

-9.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,656 BHD 2,509

$10.4K MX$180.2K

-36.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.40 BHD 14.86

$56.7 MX$980

-30.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 BHD 23.88

$44.38 MX$768

42.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 BHD 25.40

$103 MX$1,780

-34.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.72 BHD 14.98

$106 MX$1,825

-62.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 BHD 445

$1,022 MX$17.7K

15.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 BHD 200

$631 MX$10.9K

-15.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 BHD 815

$2,136 MX$36.9K

1.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 BHD 356

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-24.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,410 BHD 532

$1,115 MX$19.3K

26.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-55.91%

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

Last update for Riffa: May 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,179 in Riffa and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riffa pays 26% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Riffa vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $239 vs $288 per month, with Riffa 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

Riffa vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Riffa and Mexico City differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,384 vs $1,467 including rent). Riffa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riffa pays 26% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,179 in Riffa versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Riffa runs roughly 69% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $395 in Riffa versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,384 in Riffa versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Riffa but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Riffa 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, Riffa and Mexico City 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 Riffa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.