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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,034 per month in Erbil vs $1,456 in Mexico City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,522 per month in Erbil vs $2,361 in Mexico City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,010 per month in Erbil vs $3,266 in Mexico City, rent included.

Erbil is about 29% cheaper than Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Erbil sits 23% below the global median, while Mexico City is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$13.07 MX$229

-41.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

$53.8 MX$940

-57.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$9.68 MX$169

-8.26%

Cappuccino

$3.20 IQD 4,189

$3.74 MX$65.4

-14.44%

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

$0.48 IQD 630

$1.62 MX$28.25

-70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$1.16 MX$20.31

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,523

$3.23 MX$56.4

-40.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,803

$4.74 MX$82.9

-54.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.65 MX$28.80

-20.61%

White Bread (500g)

$0.85 IQD 1,108

$2.75 MX$48.15

-69.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.87 MX$32.77

-0.53%

Eggs

$1.98 IQD 2,590

$2.50 MX$43.72

-20.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.23 IQD 9,474

$10.20 MX$178

-29.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.72 IQD 6,184

$8.25 MX$144

-42.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

$11.82 MX$207

20.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,563

$3.01 MX$52.6

-60.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.81 MX$31.67

-36.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,502

$2.00 MX$34.96

-42.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,057

$2.00 MX$34.89

-59.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 888

$2.08 MX$36.45

-67.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 980

$2.27 MX$39.72

-66.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 952

$1.46 MX$25.47

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 IQD 742

$1.08 MX$18.82

-47.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,428

$4.35 MX$76.0

-39.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

$16.99 MX$297

-28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,824

$1.73 MX$30.31

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,579

$3.58 MX$62.5

-44.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 IQD 776

$0.39 MX$6.77

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

$18.69 MX$327

88.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,942

$1.33 MX$23.18

69.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$0.28 MX$4.89

732.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 IQD 8,845

$5.25 MX$91.8

28.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.34 MX$23.37

-51.49%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$19.4K MX$339.4K

-0.05%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

$23.8K MX$416.7K

-12.56%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$40.69 MX$712

149.91%

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

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

$26.87 MX$470

-35.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

$30.51 MX$534

-3.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

$52.8 MX$923

39.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

$26.65 MX$466

-56.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

$6.51 MX$114

75.27%

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

$263 IQD 343.7K

$428 MX$7,485

-38.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

$10.5K MX$183.6K

-69.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

$57.3 MX$1,001

-41.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

$45.50 MX$796

9.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

$104 MX$1,819

-22.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

$108 MX$1,885

-29.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 IQD 562.2K

$1,003 MX$17.5K

-57.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 360.3K

$623 MX$10.9K

-55.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 IQD 958.5K

$2,109 MX$36.9K

-65.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 647.8K

$1,218 MX$21.3K

-59.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

$3,885 MX$67.9K

-70.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$660 IQD 864.4K

$2,033 MX$35.5K

-67.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$1,038 MX$18.1K

-44.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

11.34

26.37%

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

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $429 in Erbil 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 79% 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 Erbil versus $54.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $292 – making Erbil 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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 41%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,551 per month in Erbil 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 Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 50% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Erbil and $54.0 in Mexico City. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Erbil. 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.