Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Erbil and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Erbil: $956 a month against $1,567 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

47

Cost of Living Index in Erbil
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Erbil Living Index
76

Cost of Living Index in Mexico City
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Mexico City Living Index

Jump to prices

Erbil

🇮🇶 Iraq

$956

/mo nomad

Mexico City

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,567

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Erbil 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 Erbil and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $956 per month in Erbil vs $1,567 in Mexico City, rent included.

Erbil $956
Mexico City $1,567

A couple spends around $1,421 per month in Erbil vs $2,450 in Mexico City, rent included.

Erbil $1,421
Mexico City $2,450

A family of three spends $1,887 per month in Erbil vs $3,333 in Mexico City, rent included.

Erbil $1,887
Mexico City $3,333

Erbil is about 39% cheaper than Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Erbil sits 29% below the global median, while Mexico City is 16% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 IQD 9,753

$10.75 MX$199

-40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.44 IQD 55.1K

$50.3 MX$929

-27.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.09 IQD 10.7K

$11.10 MX$205

-36.13%

Cappuccino

$3.23 IQD 4,873

$3.68 MX$68.1

-12.23%

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

$0.89 IQD 1,338

$1.65 MX$30.42

-46.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 IQD 503

$1.30 MX$24.08

-74.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.17 IQD 7,819

$3.32 MX$61.3

55.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 IQD 5,825

$5.54 MX$102

-30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 IQD 1,600

$1.77 MX$32.68

-40.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 IQD 1,101

$3.05 MX$56.4

-76.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 2,300

$2.01 MX$37.20

-24.38%

Eggs

$1.57 IQD 2,373

$2.77 MX$51.1

-43.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.90 IQD 10.4K

$11.91 MX$220

-42.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.27 IQD 6,458

$9.33 MX$172

-54.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.51 IQD 18.9K

$15.02 MX$278

-16.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,501

$3.08 MX$56.8

-67.86%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,495

$1.95 MX$35.97

-49.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,555

$2.03 MX$37.54

-49.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 988

$2.21 MX$40.92

-70.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 964

$2.02 MX$37.41

-68.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 925

$1.82 MX$33.67

-66.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 IQD 909

$1.52 MX$28.07

-60.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 709

$1.28 MX$23.65

-63.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.15 IQD 3,250

$5.27 MX$97.4

-59.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.81 IQD 16.3K

$16.12 MX$298

-32.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 IQD 2,222

$1.95 MX$36.05

-24.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,825

$4.25 MX$78.6

-56.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 IQD 718

$0.31 MX$5.82

54.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.85 IQD 58.7K

$19.85 MX$367

95.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 IQD 2,531

$2.00 MX$36.93

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 IQD 2,421

$0.53 MX$9.86

201.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.67 IQD 8,566

$5.62 MX$104

0.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 825

$1.52 MX$28.07

-63.82%

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

$16.3K IQD 24.7M

$21.0K MX$388.7K

-22.31%

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

$17.0K IQD 25.6M

$25.2K MX$465.3K

-32.61%

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

$113 IQD 170.3K

$62.5 MX$1,155

80.36%

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

$12.21 IQD 18.4K

$28.77 MX$532

-57.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.30 IQD 36.7K

$34.45 MX$637

-29.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.6 IQD 85.5K

$57.1 MX$1,055

-0.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.33 IQD 20.1K

$24.81 MX$458

-46.27%

Cinema Ticket

$10.00 IQD 15.1K

$6.67 MX$123

49.93%

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

$315 IQD 476.0K

$431 MX$7,964

-26.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,809 IQD 4.2M

$11.7K MX$216.9K

-76.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.70 IQD 40.3K

$70.8 MX$1,308

-62.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.59 IQD 59.8K

$51.8 MX$958

-23.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 IQD 89.7K

$109 MX$2,011

-45.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.4 IQD 89.8K

$112 MX$2,076

-47.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 IQD 639.7K

$1,051 MX$19.4K

-59.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$275 IQD 415.2K

$665 MX$12.3K

-58.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 IQD 1.1M

$2,346 MX$43.3K

-70.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$406 IQD 613.1K

$1,227 MX$22.7K

-66.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,047 IQD 1.6M

$3,554 MX$65.7K

-70.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$608 IQD 919.3K

$1,977 MX$36.5K

-69.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$525 IQD 793.9K

$975 MX$18.0K

-46.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

11.3

-77.61%

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

Last update for Erbil: October 11, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Erbil

$275 28.7%

Mexico City

$665 42.4% 142% $390

Groceries & Markets

Erbil

$172 18%

Mexico City

$323 20.6% 87.6% $151

Eating Out

Erbil

$150 15.7%

Mexico City

$203 13% 35.3% $53

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Erbil

$149 15.6%

Mexico City

$126 8% 15.8% $24

Clothing & Footwear

Erbil

$83 8.7%

Mexico City

$155 9.9% 85.7% $71

Sport & Entertainment

Erbil

$77 8%

Mexico City

$70 4.5% 8% $6.2

Getting Around

Erbil

$50 5.3%

Mexico City

$26 1.6% 48.9% $25

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Erbil versus $1,051 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 85% 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 $36.00 in Erbil versus $50.0 in Mexico City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $172 vs $323 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Erbil

🇲🇽 Mexico City

🕒 Local time

15:52 3:52 PM

06:52 6:52 AM

9 h behind Erbil

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,713,461

9,209,944 Capital

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.78 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Erbil Mexico City 12,720 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Erbil
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

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

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 64%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,435 per month in Erbil and $2,351 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 88% 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 $36.00 in Erbil and $50.0 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 $956, than in Mexico City at $1,567. 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.