Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in An Najaf: $565 a month against $1,608 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $12,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

An Najaf, Iraq
Mexico City, Mexico
An Najaf
🇮🇶 Iraq
$565
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in An Najaf and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in An Najaf and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $565 per month in An Najaf vs $1,608 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • An Najaf $565
  • Mexico City $1,608

A couple spends around $854 per month in An Najaf vs $2,549 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • An Najaf $854
  • Mexico City $2,549

A family of three spends $1,143 per month in An Najaf vs $3,490 in Mexico City, rent included.

  • An Najaf $1,143
  • Mexico City $3,490

An Najaf is about 65% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

An Najaf sits 58% below the global median, while Mexico City is 18% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.88 IQD 5,856
$10.62 MX$199
-63.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.70 IQD 29.8K
$48.35 MX$904
-59.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.32 IQD 6,528
$10.35 MX$193
-58.26%
Cappuccino
$2.26 IQD 3,416
$3.69 MX$69.0
-38.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 IQD 582
$1.67 MX$31.14
-76.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.22 IQD 333
$1.27 MX$23.65
-82.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.26 IQD 4,923
$3.19 MX$59.7
2.19%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 IQD 3,055
$5.31 MX$99.2
-61.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 IQD 1,367
$1.72 MX$32.23
-47.67%
White Bread (500g)
$0.68 IQD 1,023
$3.04 MX$56.8
-77.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.31 IQD 1,972
$1.94 MX$36.27
-32.47%
Eggs
$1.68 IQD 2,542
$2.89 MX$54.0
-41.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$3.28 IQD 4,951
$10.97 MX$205
-70.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.43 IQD 5,187
$9.25 MX$173
-62.92%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.56 IQD 14.5K
$15.13 MX$283
-36.81%
Apples (1kg)
$0.97 IQD 1,458
$3.05 MX$57.0
-68.20%
Banana (1kg)
$0.91 IQD 1,375
$1.94 MX$36.27
-53.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.94 IQD 1,425
$2.03 MX$37.85
-53.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.68 IQD 1,029
$2.31 MX$43.25
-70.56%
Potato (1kg)
$0.56 IQD 841
$2.04 MX$38.03
-72.55%
Onion (1kg)
$0.61 IQD 919
$1.80 MX$33.63
-66.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 IQD 877
$1.48 MX$27.64
-60.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 IQD 743
$1.27 MX$23.69
-61.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.63 IQD 2,462
$5.30 MX$99.1
-69.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.93 IQD 18.0K
$16.10 MX$301
-25.90%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 IQD 2,919
$1.98 MX$37.06
-2.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91 IQD 2,892
$4.25 MX$79.5
-55.06%
🚌 Getting Around
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 IQD 462
$0.31 MX$5.70
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$19.73 MX$369
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 IQD 1,974
$1.84 MX$34.34
-28.80%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.31 IQD 1,975
$0.53 MX$9.97
147.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 IQD 8,132
$5.30 MX$99.0
1.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.41 IQD 625
$1.51 MX$28.23
-72.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.1K IQD 18.4M
$21.8K MX$406.5K
-44.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K IQD 25.5M
$24.0K MX$448.2K
-29.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$34.87 IQD 52.7K
$63.0 MX$1,177
-44.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.80 IQD 22.4K
$27.39 MX$512
-45.97%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$33.39 IQD 50.5K
$35.67 MX$666
-6.39%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$25.35 IQD 38.3K
$58.9 MX$1,101
-56.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$23.64 MX$442
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.44 IQD 12.7K
$6.40 MX$120
31.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$147 IQD 222.0K
$432 MX$8,065
-65.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$797 IQD 1.2M
$11.4K MX$213.5K
-93.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$15.04 IQD 22.7K
$68.2 MX$1,275
-77.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$23.28 IQD 35.2K
$53.1 MX$993
-56.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$60.3 IQD 91.2K
$108 MX$2,014
-44.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$41.51 IQD 62.7K
$117 MX$2,191
-64.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$234 IQD 353.4K
$1,113 MX$20.8K
-79.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$125 IQD 188.4K
$710 MX$13.3K
-82.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$311 IQD 469.6K
$2,588 MX$48.4K
-87.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$189 IQD 286.0K
$1,406 MX$26.3K
-86.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,097 IQD 1.7M
$3,631 MX$67.8K
-69.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$445 IQD 672.6K
$2,135 MX$39.9K
-79.15%
💵 Salaries & Financials
An Najaf
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$670 IQD 1.0M
$946 MX$17.7K
-29.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.12
11.35
-63.70%

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

Last update for An Najaf: October 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
An Najaf
$149
Mexico City
$320 114% $170
Accommodation & Living
An Najaf
$125
Mexico City
$710 470% $586
Eating Out
An Najaf
$94
Mexico City
$199 112% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
An Najaf
$83
Mexico City
$126 51.7% $43
Clothing & Footwear
An Najaf
$63
Mexico City
$156 147% $93
Sport & Entertainment
An Najaf
$42
Mexico City
$72 69.9% $30
Getting Around
An Najaf
$9.1 *
Mexico City
$25 181% $16

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in An Najaf versus $1,113 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 41% 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 $20 in An Najaf versus $48 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $320 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇶 An Najaf
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
21:06 9:06 PM
12:06 12:06 PM
9 h behind An Najaf
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,221,248
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,682 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.95 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18.69 MXN (100 MXN = 5.35 USD). 1 EUR = 20.8 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • An Najaf Mexico City 13,100 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • An Najaf
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
An Najaf vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, An Najaf or Mexico City?
Mexico City costs about 184% more than An Najaf, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in An Najaf and in Mexico City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $848 per month in An Najaf and $2,412 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, An Najaf or Mexico City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $234 there versus $1,113 in Mexico City.
How much does it cost to live in An Najaf compared to Mexico City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $565 in An Najaf and $1,608 in Mexico City. That’s a gap of about 184%.
How do childcare costs compare in An Najaf and in Mexico City?
Kindergarten costs $147 per month in An Najaf and $432 in Mexico City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $800/month in An Najaf or in Mexico City?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $565, than in Mexico City at $1,608. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward An Najaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to An Najaf or to Mexico City?
If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. 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.

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