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 $1,484 per month in Mexico City vs $681 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,381 per month in Mexico City vs $1,090 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Mexico City vs $1,499 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 118% 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

$12.98 MX$227

$3.95 IQD 5,175

228.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$24.93 IQD 32.7K

112.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.95 IQD 9,106

39.86%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$2.57 IQD 3,369

45.91%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.37 IQD 481

324.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.19 IQD 250

494.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.87 IQD 3,756

10.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.81 IQD 3,678

65.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.86 IQD 2,442

-12.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.75 IQD 979

261.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.09 IQD 1,427

72.48%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.50 IQD 1,963

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.41 IQD 5,774

128.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.69 IQD 6,150

76.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-8.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.86 IQD 1,122

232.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.08 IQD 1,415

62.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.89 IQD 1,168

133.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.39 IQD 517

405.13%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.74 IQD 971

191.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.34 IQD 450

541.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.62 IQD 817

124.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.47 IQD 618

138.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$1.85 IQD 2,430

127.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.82 IQD 2,385

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.10 IQD 2,752

75.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.37 IQD 479

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-39.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$1.69 IQD 2,214

-17.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.55 IQD 2,025

-80.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$6.16 IQD 8,067

-12.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.33 IQD 434

309.09%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

-1.96%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

15.67%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$78.3 IQD 102.6K

-47.86%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

58.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-12.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$22.48 IQD 29.4K

137.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$16.71 IQD 21.9K

57.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-18.36%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$150 IQD 196.3K

191.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,269 IQD 4.3M

220.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$26.78 IQD 35.1K

111.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

76.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

66.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

163.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$320 IQD 419.8K

211.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$130 IQD 170.2K

377.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$446 IQD 584.3K

379.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$343 IQD 449.7K

259.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$574 IQD 752.3K

573.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$505 IQD 661.2K

111.45%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,000 in Mexico City versus $320 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 111% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 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 118%, 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 $2,225 per month in Mexico City and $1,022 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 87% 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 $53.0 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 $681, than in Mexico City at $1,484. 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.