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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,739 in Riyadh versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,521 in Riyadh versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,304 in Riyadh versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Riyadh is roughly 18% more expensive than Mexico City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Riyadh 30% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.21 SAR 30.82

$13.18 MX$228

-37.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 SAR 199

$53.9 MX$931

-1.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.11 SAR 30.45

$9.42 MX$163

-13.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.71 SAR 6.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 SAR 8.37

Cappuccino

$4.09 SAR 15.34

$3.55 MX$61.3

15.21%

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

$0.71 SAR 2.66

$1.62 MX$27.95

-56.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$1.11 MX$19.25

-73.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$53.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.70 MX$29.40

-1.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$2.72 MX$46.97

-52.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$1.91 MX$33.04

23.04%

Eggs

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$2.54 MX$43.82

7.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.64 SAR 32.44

$10.03 MX$173

-13.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 SAR 37.62

$8.09 MX$140

23.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.57 SAR 54.7

$11.62 MX$201

25.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.97 MX$51.3

-20.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$1.81 MX$31.21

-3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.01 MX$34.79

-7.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 SAR 5.73

$2.03 MX$35.16

-24.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.82

$2.12 MX$36.71

-39.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$2.27 MX$39.21

-35.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 SAR 5.44

$1.40 MX$24.20

3.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.99

$1.13 MX$19.53

-53.10%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.16 SAR 30.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.54 SAR 28.29

$4.27 MX$73.8

76.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.36

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$0.38 MX$6.62

186.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.73 SAR 138

$19.18 MX$331

91.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.29

$1.38 MX$23.77

137.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$0.28 MX$4.78

560.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.49 SAR 50.6

$5.45 MX$94.1

147.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.30 MX$22.53

-51.54%

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

$34.1K SAR 128.1K

$18.7K MX$322.9K

82.57%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.1K MX$399.7K

1.25%

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

$104 SAR 391

$40.86 MX$706

154.97%

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

$34.25 SAR 129

$26.81 MX$463

27.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.0 SAR 289

$29.96 MX$518

156.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$105 SAR 394

$52.0 MX$899

101.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$58.3 SAR 219

$26.84 MX$464

117.18%

Cinema Ticket

$16.17 SAR 60.7

$6.30 MX$109

156.67%

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

$457 SAR 1,716

$436 MX$7,536

4.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,739 SAR 36.6K

$10.4K MX$180.0K

-6.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 SAR 223

$56.7 MX$979

5.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.1 SAR 241

$44.38 MX$767

44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 400

$103 MX$1,779

3.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 SAR 376

$106 MX$1,823

-5.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,072 SAR 4,024

$1,022 MX$17.7K

4.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 SAR 3,158

$631 MX$10.9K

33.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,027 SAR 7,608

$2,136 MX$36.9K

-5.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,090 SAR 4,093

$1,243 MX$21.5K

-12.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,075 SAR 11.5K

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-21.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,931 SAR 7,247

$2,064 MX$35.7K

-6.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,252 SAR 8,453

$1,115 MX$19.3K

101.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

11.34

-53.17%

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

Last update for Riyadh: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,072 in Riyadh and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 102% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Riyadh vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $288 per month, with Riyadh 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

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

Riyadh and Mexico City differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,739 vs $1,467 including rent). Mexico City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Riyadh pays 102% 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: $1,072 in Riyadh 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 Mexico City runs roughly 92% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Riyadh versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,467 in Mexico City versus $1,739 in Riyadh, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mexico City but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Mexico City 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, Riyadh 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 Mexico City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.