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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $671 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,041 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,411 in Al Kufah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 116% more expensive than Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Al Kufah is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.45 IQD 7,133

138.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$36.38 IQD 47.6K

44.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.60 IQD 9,956

24.08%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.94 IQD 3,856

21.43%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.40 IQD 519

302.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.18 IQD 233

538.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.52 IQD 4,604

-10.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.89 IQD 3,784

68.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.11 IQD 1,459

53.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.66 IQD 865

300.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.65 IQD 2,166

15.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.71 IQD 2,236

48.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.22 IQD 2,910

354.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.03 IQD 3,963

173.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.21 IQD 13.4K

13.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.49 IQD 637

518.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.96 IQD 1,261

78.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.68 IQD 891

201.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.46 IQD 607

347.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.40 IQD 530

415.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.34 IQD 439

538.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.63 IQD 824

122.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.45 IQD 586

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.03 IQD 2,662

111.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$13.53 IQD 17.7K

13.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.76 IQD 2,310

-5.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.11 IQD 2,759

74.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.37 IQD 489

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$31.49 IQD 41.2K

-39.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.32 IQD 3,041

-40.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.47 IQD 9,783

-27.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.53 IQD 697

141.51%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

-6.44%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

15.71%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$40.56 IQD 53.1K

1.13%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$26.38 IQD 34.5K

2.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

28.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

100.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$17.05 IQD 22.3K

53.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.62 IQD 9,982

-18.90%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$86.3 IQD 113.0K

394.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$2,370 IQD 3.1M

351.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$21.20 IQD 27.8K

168.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$29.55 IQD 38.7K

51.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$20.10 IQD 26.3K

420.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$27.59 IQD 36.1K

284.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$213 IQD 278.8K

367.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$175 IQD 229.4K

254.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$427 IQD 558.7K

398.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$295 IQD 386.1K

325.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$3,258 IQD 4.3M

19.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,677 IQD 2.2M

24.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$769 IQD 1.0M

44.02%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $213 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 44% 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 $288 vs $147 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 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 44% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $213 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 $1,447 per month in Mexico City versus $671 in Al Kufah – a 116% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Al Kufah versus $1,447 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 116% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.