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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $679 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,052 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,425 in Al Kufah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 119% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Al Kufah is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.28 IQD 6,919

145.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$35.99 IQD 47.1K

47.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

26.40%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.11 IQD 4,079

20.58%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.39 IQD 516

302.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.20 IQD 262

465.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.35 IQD 4,392

-5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.95 IQD 3,861

57.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.11 IQD 1,457

45.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.61 IQD 794

344.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.64 IQD 2,151

14.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.78 IQD 2,334

41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$2.32 IQD 3,035

334.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.04 IQD 3,983

172.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$9.75 IQD 12.8K

22.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.52 IQD 686

450.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.99 IQD 1,291

76.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.67 IQD 882

210.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.49 IQD 643

302.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.38 IQD 492

468.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.31 IQD 403

603.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.66 IQD 867

110.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.45 IQD 586

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.01 IQD 2,634

108.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$13.79 IQD 18.1K

3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.80 IQD 2,353

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.08 IQD 2,720

76.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.35 IQD 458

11.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-39.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.36 IQD 3,090

-41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.54 IQD 2,021

-80.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$7.63 IQD 9,993

-28.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.54 IQD 711

150.00%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

-4.67%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

16.65%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

0.44%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.83 IQD 33.8K

6.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

33.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$25.24 IQD 33.1K

111.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

58.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.46 IQD 9,772

-15.95%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$88.3 IQD 115.7K

393.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$2,403 IQD 3.1M

335.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$21.19 IQD 27.8K

167.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

46.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

424.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

285.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$214 IQD 280.2K

367.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$181 IQD 237.3K

242.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$432 IQD 566.5K

394.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$287 IQD 376.6K

329.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$3,265 IQD 4.3M

18.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$1,674 IQD 2.2M

39.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$768 IQD 1.0M

38.90%

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 Kufah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $214 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 39% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $146 per month, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 39% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $214 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,484 per month in Mexico City versus $679 in Al Kufah – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $679 in Al Kufah versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah 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.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 119% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.