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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $636 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $1,024 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,413 in Al Kufah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 161% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Al Kufah is 54% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$4.77 IQD 6,244

149.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$33.77 IQD 44.2K

52.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

45.54%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$3.14 IQD 4,115

27.07%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.37 IQD 480

348.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.26 IQD 344

411.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$3.77 IQD 4,940

-7.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$3.76 IQD 4,923

56.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$1.08 IQD 1,415

74.07%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.78 IQD 1,016

316.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$1.58 IQD 2,074

36.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.82 IQD 2,379

59.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$2.22 IQD 2,905

479.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$4.65 IQD 6,089

116.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$9.32 IQD 12.2K

70.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$0.75 IQD 978

338.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$1.09 IQD 1,426

84.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.60 IQD 788

266.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.57 IQD 741

314.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.51 IQD 665

301.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.33 IQD 431

475.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.17 IQD 221

847.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.54 IQD 714

159.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.54 IQD 2,015

254.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$13.57 IQD 17.8K

30.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-8.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.27 IQD 2,969

106.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.37 IQD 483

-8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$2.34 IQD 3,061

-10.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.57 IQD 2,058

-64.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$7.57 IQD 9,912

-23.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.54 IQD 710

198.15%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

21.13%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

41.55%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$217 IQD 284.3K

-69.98%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

43.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$22.80 IQD 29.9K

63.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

275.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

-30.64%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

537.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$2,432 IQD 3.2M

445.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$10.09 IQD 13.2K

652.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

90.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

470.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$35.38 IQD 46.3K

240.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$189 IQD 247.4K

483.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$254 IQD 332.2K

897.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

$197 IQD 258.2K

555.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

$1,321 IQD 1.7M

202.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

$380 IQD 497.7K

449.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$1,021 IQD 1.3M

1.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.12

174.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $189 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 2% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $158 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 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $189 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,660 per month in Mexico City versus $636 in Al Kufah – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,660 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 161% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.