Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,447 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Al-'amarah vs $2,310 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Al-'amarah vs $3,174 in Mexico City, rent included.

Al-'amarah is about 54% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Al-'amarah sits 50% below the global median, while Mexico City is 8% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 IQD 5,267

$12.98 MX$223

-69.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

$52.6 MX$903

-52.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$9.43 MX$162

-25.56%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,401

$3.57 MX$61.3

-27.17%

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

$0.40 IQD 521

$1.61 MX$27.55

-75.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 255

$1.15 MX$19.81

-83.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 IQD 3,736

$3.15 MX$54.0

-9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,779

$4.86 MX$83.4

-40.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.70 MX$29.17

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,030

$2.64 MX$45.23

-70.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,462

$1.90 MX$32.67

-41.05%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,027

$2.54 MX$43.62

-38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,951

$10.08 MX$173

-54.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 IQD 6,074

$8.29 MX$142

-44.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

$11.57 MX$199

12.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,197

$3.03 MX$52.0

-69.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,416

$1.71 MX$29.35

-36.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$2.05 MX$35.16

-57.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 514

$2.06 MX$35.36

-81.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 989

$2.06 MX$35.43

-63.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 IQD 452

$2.17 MX$37.25

-83.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$1.40 MX$24.08

-55.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 617

$1.12 MX$19.26

-58.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,573

$4.29 MX$73.7

-54.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$1.67 MX$28.74

7.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,769

$3.69 MX$63.3

-42.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.38 MX$6.55

-2.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

$19.06 MX$327

66.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 IQD 2,188

$1.38 MX$23.70

21.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$0.28 MX$4.74

428.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,988

$5.42 MX$92.9

12.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 IQD 404

$1.28 MX$21.98

-75.78%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

2.20%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-13.52%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$41.02 MX$704

85.47%

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

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

$26.92 MX$462

-33.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

$29.69 MX$510

14.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

$52.3 MX$898

-56.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

$26.23 MX$450

-35.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$6.18 MX$106

24.92%

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

$154 IQD 201.2K

$427 MX$7,331

-64.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-69.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

$56.8 MX$975

-51.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$44.83 MX$769

-44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

$105 MX$1,794

-40.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

$106 MX$1,819

-61.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 IQD 434.1K

$995 MX$17.1K

-66.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.3K

$621 MX$10.7K

-78.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 IQD 578.0K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-79.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.8K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-72.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-85.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 IQD 663.1K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-54.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

11.34

-50.00%

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

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Al-'amarah versus $995 in Mexico City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 119% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah versus $53.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $288 – making Al-'amarah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Al-'amarah vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 116%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,006 per month in Al-'amarah and $2,171 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 88% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah and $53.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Mexico City at $1,447. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-'amarah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.