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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $994 in Yanbu versus $1,472 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,525 in Yanbu versus $2,359 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,056 in Yanbu versus $3,245 in Mexico City.

Living in Yanbu costs roughly 33% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yanbu is 25% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$13.14 MX$227

-50.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.99 SAR 143

$53.5 MX$926

-29.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$9.33 MX$161

-30.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 SAR 7.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

Cappuccino

$3.59 SAR 13.49

$3.70 MX$64.0

-2.97%

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

$0.75 SAR 2.83

$1.60 MX$27.76

-53.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$1.12 MX$19.34

-79.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.65 MX$28.61

1.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 SAR 3.28

$2.71 MX$46.96

-67.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.42

$1.91 MX$33.03

17.28%

Eggs

$2.72 SAR 10.20

$2.59 MX$44.81

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.04 SAR 22.68

$9.81 MX$170

-38.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.76 SAR 29.14

$8.43 MX$146

-7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 SAR 45.86

$11.93 MX$206

2.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.07 SAR 7.77

$2.95 MX$51.1

-29.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.17

$1.74 MX$30.10

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$2.04 MX$35.38

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$2.06 MX$35.64

-25.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.79

$2.15 MX$37.20

-40.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$2.26 MX$39.02

-57.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.11

$1.39 MX$23.97

-21.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$1.12 MX$19.31

-50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 SAR 24.30

$4.22 MX$73.0

53.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.35 MX$6.10

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.24 SAR 125

$19.32 MX$334

72.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.31

$1.38 MX$23.80

137.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 SAR 2.94

$0.28 MX$4.77

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.10 SAR 56.7

$5.28 MX$91.3

185.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.62 SAR 2.31

$1.36 MX$23.50

-54.41%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.3K

$19.1K MX$330.5K

37.02%

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

$21.6K SAR 81.0K

$23.6K MX$408.4K

-8.59%

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

$105 SAR 396

$40.53 MX$701

160.23%

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

$22.77 SAR 85.5

$27.38 MX$474

-16.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 SAR 259

$30.38 MX$526

127.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.9 SAR 360

$52.2 MX$903

83.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.52 SAR 133

$26.48 MX$458

34.14%

Cinema Ticket

$13.30 SAR 49.95

$6.19 MX$107

114.86%

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

$323 SAR 1,214

$425 MX$7,355

-23.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,791 SAR 14.2K

$10.7K MX$185.7K

-64.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.81 SAR 85.6

$58.3 MX$1,009

-60.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.00 SAR 78.9

$44.57 MX$771

-52.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 SAR 249

$103 MX$1,791

-35.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.66 SAR 179

$109 MX$1,881

-56.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 SAR 1,177

$1,014 MX$17.5K

-69.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 SAR 915

$623 MX$10.8K

-60.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 SAR 2,198

$2,119 MX$36.7K

-72.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$412 SAR 1,546

$1,223 MX$21.2K

-66.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,487 SAR 13.1K

$1,052 MX$18.2K

231.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.3

11.34

-70.90%

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

Last update for Yanbu: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $314 in Yanbu and $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yanbu pays 231% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Yanbu vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $189 vs $293 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

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

Yanbu and Mexico City differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($994 vs $1,472 including rent). Yanbu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 231% higher in Yanbu, 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: $314 in Yanbu versus $1,014 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yanbu runs roughly 72% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $323 in Yanbu versus $425 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $994 in Yanbu versus $1,472 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, Yanbu 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 Yanbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.