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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $916 in Taif versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,470 in Taif versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,023 in Taif versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Taif costs roughly 37% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Taif is 31% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 SAR 19.91

$13.07 MX$229

-59.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.54 SAR 152

$53.8 MX$943

-24.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.80 SAR 25.53

$9.68 MX$170

-29.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 SAR 7.35

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$2.94 SAR 11.04

$3.74 MX$65.6

-21.39%

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

$0.77 SAR 2.91

$1.62 MX$28.34

-52.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$1.16 MX$20.37

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.65 MX$28.89

-17.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$2.75 MX$48.30

-89.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$1.87 MX$32.87

22.46%

Eggs

$2.58 SAR 9.70

$2.50 MX$43.86

3.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 SAR 27.28

$10.20 MX$179

-28.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$8.25 MX$145

-24.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 SAR 39.86

$11.82 MX$207

-10.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.57

$3.01 MX$52.8

-24.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.81 MX$31.77

-10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.45

$2.00 MX$35.07

-1.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$2.00 MX$35.00

-8.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 SAR 5.40

$2.08 MX$36.56

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

$2.27 MX$39.85

-28.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 SAR 3.48

$1.46 MX$25.55

-36.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SAR 3.87

$1.08 MX$18.88

-4.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.73 SAR 25.26

$4.35 MX$76.3

54.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.39 MX$6.79

179.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 149

$18.69 MX$328

111.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$1.33 MX$23.25

96.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 SAR 7.58

$0.28 MX$4.91

621.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.06 SAR 49.03

$5.25 MX$92.1

148.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.34 MX$23.44

-52.99%

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

$20.0K SAR 75.1K

$19.4K MX$340.5K

2.96%

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

$20.6K SAR 77.2K

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-13.72%

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

$75.3 SAR 283

$40.69 MX$714

84.96%

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

$28.59 SAR 107

$26.87 MX$471

6.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 SAR 323

$30.51 MX$535

181.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 SAR 288

$52.8 MX$926

45.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.83 SAR 142

$26.65 MX$467

41.95%

Cinema Ticket

$17.16 SAR 64.4

$6.51 MX$114

163.59%

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

$263 SAR 986

$428 MX$7,508

-38.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,622 SAR 21.1K

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-46.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.70 SAR 149

$57.3 MX$1,004

-30.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.96 SAR 158

$45.50 MX$798

-7.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$104 MX$1,825

-25.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.39 SAR 178

$108 MX$1,891

-56.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$215 SAR 808

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-78.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$172 SAR 644

$623 MX$10.9K

-72.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 SAR 1,642

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-79.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-71.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,332 SAR 8,755

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-39.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,352 SAR 5,076

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-33.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,814 SAR 6,812

$1,038 MX$18.2K

74.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.6

11.34

-59.44%

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

Last update for Taif: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $215 in Taif and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Taif pays 75% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Taif vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $292 per month, with Taif 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

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

Taif and Mexico City differ by about 59% in total monthly costs ($916 vs $1,456 including rent). Taif is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 75% higher in Taif, 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: $215 in Taif versus $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Taif runs roughly 112% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $263 in Taif versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $916 in Taif versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Taif but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Taif 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, Taif 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 Taif gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.