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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $640 in Mashhad versus $1,660 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mashhad versus $2,565 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in Mashhad versus $3,470 in Mexico City.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 61% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mashhad is 53% below, Mexico City is 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 IQD 6,120

$11.92 MX$204

-60.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

$51.6 MX$885

-33.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$11.41 MX$196

-32.95%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,035

$3.99 MX$68.5

-22.81%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$1.66 MX$28.45

-75.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 312

$1.33 MX$22.74

-81.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,082

$3.47 MX$59.5

11.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 IQD 5,088

$5.90 MX$101

-34.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.88 MX$32.18

-44.15%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$3.25 MX$55.8

-74.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$2.16 MX$37.05

-26.85%

Eggs

$0.81 IQD 1,063

$2.90 MX$49.66

-72.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,981

$12.86 MX$220

-70.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 IQD 2,676

$10.05 MX$172

-79.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,820

$15.86 MX$272

-81.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$3.29 MX$56.5

-69.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$2.01 MX$34.40

-44.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,281

$2.20 MX$37.71

-55.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$2.36 MX$40.40

-71.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$2.05 MX$35.23

-67.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 837

$1.90 MX$32.60

-66.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 407

$1.61 MX$27.52

-80.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$1.40 MX$23.95

-85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.76 IQD 996

$5.46 MX$93.7

-86.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$17.65 MX$303

-23.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,799

$2.06 MX$35.24

3.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,954

$4.68 MX$80.3

-51.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$2.10 MX$35.95

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$0.56 MX$9.59

169.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,851

$5.81 MX$99.7

29.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 857

$1.61 MX$27.53

-59.63%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$22.8K MX$391.6K

-17.13%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$26.8K MX$458.6K

-29.29%

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

$215 IQD 281.7K

$65.2 MX$1,117

230.07%

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

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

$30.09 MX$516

-29.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

$37.18 MX$637

13.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

$7.04 MX$121

50.57%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$465 MX$7,967

-64.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

$13.3K MX$227.6K

-73.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

$75.9 MX$1,301

-60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

$56.0 MX$959

-31.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

$112 MX$1,918

-33.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

$121 MX$2,066

-61.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

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 Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Mashhad vs $52.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $345 per month, with Mashhad 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

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

Mashhad and Mexico City differ by about 159% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,660 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $960 in Mashhad and $2,489 in Mexico City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $465 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,660 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mashhad and Mexico City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.