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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,148 in Baghdad versus $1,646 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Baghdad versus $2,613 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,269 in Baghdad versus $3,580 in Mexico City.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 30% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baghdad is 16% below, Mexico City is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 IQD 6,302

$12.11 MX$206

-60.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$52.2 MX$887

-35.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$10.90 MX$185

-29.54%

Cappuccino

$3.07 IQD 4,018

$4.05 MX$68.9

-24.20%

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

$0.40 IQD 520

$1.72 MX$29.15

-76.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$1.38 MX$23.41

-81.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 IQD 5,091

$3.47 MX$58.9

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 IQD 4,906

$5.81 MX$98.8

-35.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,424

$1.85 MX$31.50

-41.08%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,091

$3.22 MX$54.8

-74.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$2.09 MX$35.44

-26.79%

Eggs

$1.89 IQD 2,473

$2.91 MX$49.44

-35.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,971

$12.49 MX$212

-69.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 5,992

$10.11 MX$172

-54.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.59 IQD 19.1K

$15.89 MX$270

-8.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,492

$3.31 MX$56.3

-65.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,399

$2.13 MX$36.14

-49.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$2.19 MX$37.22

-51.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 971

$2.45 MX$41.59

-69.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$2.19 MX$37.20

-69.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.90 MX$32.37

-66.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$1.62 MX$27.45

-61.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 IQD 920

$1.35 MX$22.94

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$5.43 MX$92.2

-66.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.65 IQD 17.9K

$17.59 MX$299

-22.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 IQD 2,890

$2.07 MX$35.14

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,861

$4.75 MX$80.7

-54.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.65 IQD 854

$0.34 MX$5.78

91.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

$21.58 MX$367

4.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,037

$2.04 MX$34.67

13.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,025

$0.58 MX$9.82

167.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.79 IQD 10.2K

$5.97 MX$101

30.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.62 MX$27.46

-62.35%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$22.8K MX$387.6K

-16.51%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$26.7K MX$453.1K

-28.15%

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

$213 IQD 278.8K

$65.2 MX$1,109

226.39%

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

$20.99 IQD 27.5K

$29.87 MX$508

-29.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.26 IQD 55.3K

$36.55 MX$621

15.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.87 IQD 61.4K

$61.0 MX$1,037

-23.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.00 IQD 28.8K

$26.70 MX$454

-17.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

$6.85 MX$116

54.31%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$453 MX$7,705

-63.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,462 IQD 4.5M

$13.4K MX$227.2K

-74.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.18 IQD 39.5K

$75.0 MX$1,274

-59.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.06 IQD 49.8K

$55.3 MX$940

-31.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.5K

$114 MX$1,931

-35.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.63 IQD 62.4K

$123 MX$2,084

-61.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$575 IQD 753.1K

$1,134 MX$19.3K

-49.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 457.9K

$712 MX$12.1K

-50.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$959 IQD 1.3M

$2,571 MX$43.7K

-62.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$687 IQD 899.8K

$1,311 MX$22.3K

-47.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 IQD 6.2M

$3,993 MX$67.8K

18.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,576 IQD 2.1M

$2,095 MX$35.6K

-24.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$604 IQD 791.2K

$1,047 MX$17.8K

-42.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.3

-63.54%

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

Last update for Baghdad: August 30, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $575 in Baghdad and $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 73% 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: $34.00 in Baghdad vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $345 per month, with Baghdad 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

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

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 73% 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: $575 in Baghdad versus $1,134 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 5% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $165 in Baghdad versus $453 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,148 in Baghdad versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,148 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.