Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $827 in Al-mawsil versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,038 in Al-mawsil versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 63% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al-mawsil is 55% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.55 IQD 9,891

$11.92 MX$206

-36.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

$51.6 MX$890

-76.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 IQD 7,344

$11.41 MX$197

-50.83%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 981

$3.99 MX$68.9

-81.20%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.66 MX$28.61

-77.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 252

$1.33 MX$22.87

-85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.97 IQD 1,265

$3.47 MX$59.9

-72.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,982

$5.90 MX$102

-74.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 IQD 1,015

$1.88 MX$32.36

-58.51%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 959

$3.25 MX$56.1

-77.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 815

$2.16 MX$37.26

-71.30%

Eggs

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$2.90 MX$49.94

-61.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

$12.86 MX$222

-38.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,551

$10.05 MX$173

-65.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

$15.86 MX$273

-41.87%

Apples (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 956

$3.29 MX$56.8

-77.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 965

$2.01 MX$34.60

-63.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$2.20 MX$37.93

-72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.28 IQD 368

$2.36 MX$40.63

-88.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.32 IQD 425

$2.05 MX$35.43

-84.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.90 MX$32.79

-80.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$1.61 MX$27.68

-51.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 772

$1.40 MX$24.09

-57.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,444

$5.46 MX$94.2

-65.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

$17.65 MX$304

-29.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 IQD 2,210

$2.06 MX$35.44

-17.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,720

$4.68 MX$80.8

-55.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 514

$0.34 MX$5.84

14.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

$20.81 MX$359

46.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 IQD 2,426

$2.10 MX$36.15

-11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 IQD 2,382

$0.56 MX$9.64

225.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 IQD 5,945

$5.81 MX$100

-21.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 430

$1.61 MX$27.68

-79.50%

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

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

$22.8K MX$393.8K

-33.22%

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

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

$26.8K MX$461.2K

-33.58%

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

$109 IQD 142.3K

$65.2 MX$1,124

66.74%

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

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

$30.09 MX$519

-53.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

$37.18 MX$641

-29.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

$59.8 MX$1,030

-61.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.44 IQD 9,736

$26.55 MX$458

-71.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

$7.04 MX$121

10.94%

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

$306 IQD 401.0K

$465 MX$8,012

-34.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$688 IQD 900.4K

$13.3K MX$228.9K

-94.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

$75.9 MX$1,308

-74.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

$56.0 MX$965

-72.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

$112 MX$1,929

-36.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

$121 MX$2,078

-85.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$113 IQD 148.3K

$1,103 MX$19.0K

-89.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

$721 MX$12.4K

-89.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$301 IQD 393.7K

$2,530 MX$43.6K

-88.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$608 IQD 795.7K

$1,037 MX$17.9K

-41.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

11.3

-77.61%

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

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $113 in Al-mawsil and $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 71% 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: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $345 per month, with Al-mawsil 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

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

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 169% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 71% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $113 in Al-mawsil versus $1,103 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $306 in Al-mawsil versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 127% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 169% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.