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: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,456 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $2,361 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $3,266 in Mexico City.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 27% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baghdad is 20% below, Mexico City is 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$13.07 MX$229

-59.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$53.8 MX$940

-31.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$9.68 MX$169

-19.63%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$3.74 MX$65.4

-16.84%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.62 MX$28.25

-75.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$1.16 MX$20.31

-84.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$3.23 MX$56.4

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$4.74 MX$82.9

-40.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.65 MX$28.80

-20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$2.75 MX$48.15

-69.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.87 MX$32.77

-12.30%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.50 MX$43.72

-27.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$10.20 MX$178

-55.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$8.25 MX$144

-41.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$11.82 MX$207

19.80%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$3.01 MX$52.6

-59.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.81 MX$31.67

-35.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$2.00 MX$34.96

-48.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$2.00 MX$34.89

-62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$2.08 MX$36.45

-69.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$2.27 MX$39.72

-70.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$1.46 MX$25.47

-56.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$1.08 MX$18.82

-38.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$4.35 MX$76.0

-52.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$16.99 MX$297

-21.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.73 MX$30.31

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$3.58 MX$62.5

-41.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.39 MX$6.77

89.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$18.69 MX$327

49.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$1.33 MX$23.18

179.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$0.28 MX$4.89

453.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$5.25 MX$91.8

42.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$1.34 MX$23.37

-60.45%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

3.17%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-14.67%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$40.69 MX$712

330.25%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$26.87 MX$470

-2.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$30.51 MX$534

32.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$52.8 MX$923

-20.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$26.65 MX$466

-31.29%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$6.51 MX$114

15.05%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$428 MX$7,485

-61.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-66.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-51.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$45.50 MX$796

-33.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$104 MX$1,819

-38.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$108 MX$1,885

-60.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-45.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$623 MX$10.9K

-48.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-60.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-51.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

21.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-22.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-39.42%

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 Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $1,003 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 65% 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: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $54.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $292 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 37% 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 65% 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: $548 in Baghdad versus $1,003 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 49% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in Baghdad versus $428 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,456 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 $1,066 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 37% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.