Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Kazimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al Kazimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 101% more expensive than Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Al Kazimiyah is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.99 IQD 5,226

230.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

118.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.81 IQD 8,912

38.33%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.64 IQD 3,455

34.47%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.37 IQD 483

337.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.21 IQD 280

428.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.89 IQD 3,779

7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.81 IQD 3,683

64.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.33 IQD 1,741

27.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.78 IQD 1,015

248.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.58 IQD 2,064

20.89%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.72 IQD 2,258

47.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.48 IQD 5,860

123.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.64 IQD 6,082

74.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

-11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.15 IQD 1,510

158.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.15 IQD 1,505

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.05 IQD 1,380

91.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.75 IQD 979

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.68 IQD 892

211.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.67 IQD 875

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.68 IQD 884

105.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.55 IQD 720

105.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.88 IQD 2,460

127.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.07 IQD 2,714

73.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.40 IQD 518

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

-38.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.34 IQD 3,069

-41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.50 IQD 1,960

-81.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.86 IQD 7,678

-7.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.54 IQD 704

140.74%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-0.34%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

17.09%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

-46.40%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

52.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

-12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

39.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

60.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.56 IQD 9,905

-16.67%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$152 IQD 199.3K

186.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

220.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

112.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

74.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

71.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

153.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$247 IQD 322.9K

314.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$177 IQD 232.4K

255.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$572 IQD 748.4K

273.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$350 IQD 458.5K

254.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $157 per month, with Al Kazimiyah 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

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

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,098 in Al Kazimiyah 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Al Kazimiyah 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 Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.