Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,472 per month in Mexico City vs $674 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,359 per month in Mexico City vs $1,091 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,245 per month in Mexico City vs $1,508 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 119% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 11% above the global median, while Al-'amarah is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$3.98 IQD 5,211

230.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$24.68 IQD 32.3K

116.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.02 IQD 9,188

32.91%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.58 IQD 3,374

43.41%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.40 IQD 519

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.21 IQD 274

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.99 IQD 3,917

5.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.82 IQD 3,693

71.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.81 IQD 2,374

-8.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.79 IQD 1,029

243.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.08 IQD 1,408

76.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.51 IQD 1,977

71.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.58 IQD 5,995

114.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.64 IQD 6,071

81.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

-7.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.87 IQD 1,136

239.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.10 IQD 1,442

58.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.91 IQD 1,189

124.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.36 IQD 477

472.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.75 IQD 987

186.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.34 IQD 451

564.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.68 IQD 893

104.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.43 IQD 564

160.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.97 IQD 2,575

114.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.14 IQD 2,803

69.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.40 IQD 521

-12.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.59 IQD 40.1K

-36.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$1.61 IQD 2,105

-14.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.53 IQD 2,007

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$5.83 IQD 7,633

-9.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.31 IQD 399

338.71%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

1.84%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

17.64%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$76.2 IQD 99.7K

-46.78%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$17.79 IQD 23.3K

53.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$34.10 IQD 44.6K

-10.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

130.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.61 IQD 21.7K

59.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.46 IQD 9,772

-17.02%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$152 IQD 198.4K

180.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

233.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$27.00 IQD 35.4K

115.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$25.67 IQD 33.6K

73.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

72.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$41.26 IQD 54.0K

163.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$322 IQD 421.1K

215.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$134 IQD 175.5K

364.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$447 IQD 585.4K

374.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$347 IQD 454.1K

252.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$564 IQD 738.9K

572.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$506 IQD 662.0K

108.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.67

100.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 25, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,014 in Mexico City versus $322 in Al-'amarah. 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 108% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah 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

Mexico City vs Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 119%, 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 $2,208 per month in Mexico City and $1,010 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 92% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. 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 Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Mexico City at $1,472. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – 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 Al-'amarah. 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.