Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $688 per month in An Najaf vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,013 per month in An Najaf vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,338 per month in An Najaf vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

An Najaf is about 53% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

An Najaf sits 49% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 5,317

$13.07 MX$229

-68.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 IQD 30.4K

$53.8 MX$943

-56.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 IQD 6,384

$9.68 MX$170

-49.59%

Cappuccino

$2.75 IQD 3,600

$3.74 MX$65.6

-26.47%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.62 MX$28.34

-77.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$1.16 MX$20.37

-85.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 IQD 4,411

$3.23 MX$56.6

4.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,739

$4.74 MX$83.1

-39.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,716

$1.65 MX$28.89

-20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$2.75 MX$48.30

-69.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$1.87 MX$32.87

-15.51%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,337

$2.50 MX$43.86

-28.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.40 IQD 3,140

$10.20 MX$179

-76.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,300

$8.25 MX$145

-41.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 IQD 14.1K

$11.82 MX$207

-8.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$3.01 MX$52.8

-57.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$1.81 MX$31.77

-35.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$2.00 MX$35.07

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 966

$2.00 MX$35.00

-63.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$2.08 MX$36.56

-69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$2.27 MX$39.85

-71.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 863

$1.46 MX$25.55

-54.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.08 MX$18.88

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,954

$4.35 MX$76.3

-65.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$16.99 MX$298

-20.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,437

$1.73 MX$30.40

7.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,871

$3.58 MX$62.7

-38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.39 MX$6.79

-5.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$18.69 MX$328

85.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$1.33 MX$23.25

48.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,993

$0.28 MX$4.91

442.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 IQD 6,448

$5.25 MX$92.1

-6.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.34 MX$23.44

-66.42%

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

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

$19.4K MX$340.5K

-40.71%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$23.8K MX$418.0K

-17.34%

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

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

$40.69 MX$714

44.46%

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

$23.18 IQD 30.3K

$26.87 MX$471

-13.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 IQD 45.7K

$30.51 MX$535

14.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

$52.8 MX$926

-44.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 IQD 19.4K

$26.65 MX$467

-44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$6.51 MX$114

19.51%

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

$164 IQD 214.2K

$428 MX$7,508

-61.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$10.5K MX$184.2K

-91.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

$57.3 MX$1,004

-71.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

$45.50 MX$798

-45.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

$104 MX$1,825

-36.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 IQD 57.2K

$108 MX$1,891

-59.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.4K

$1,003 MX$17.6K

-75.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 173.9K

$623 MX$10.9K

-78.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 IQD 508.7K

$2,109 MX$37.0K

-81.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 IQD 198.6K

$1,218 MX$21.4K

-87.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,274 IQD 1.7M

$3,885 MX$68.1K

-67.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$479 IQD 627.0K

$2,033 MX$35.7K

-76.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$736 IQD 964.4K

$1,038 MX$18.2K

-29.03%

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 An Najaf: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in An Najaf versus $1,003 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 $23.00 in An Najaf versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $171 vs $292 – making An Najaf 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

An Najaf vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 112% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,031 per month in An Najaf and $2,185 in Mexico City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $688 in An Najaf and $1,456 in Mexico City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $688 versus $1,456 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 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.