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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $667 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,063 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,460 in Al Kufah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 121% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Al Kufah is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.30 IQD 6,938

147.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

47.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.45 IQD 9,759

25.23%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.96 IQD 3,871

25.00%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.36 IQD 476

344.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.19 IQD 244

489.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.50 IQD 4,580

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.88 IQD 3,773

68.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.12 IQD 1,470

47.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.61 IQD 801

344.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.60 IQD 2,096

19.37%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.75 IQD 2,290

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$2.30 IQD 3,017

326.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.96 IQD 3,882

184.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$10.08 IQD 13.2K

18.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.48 IQD 632

514.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$0.94 IQD 1,226

85.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.68 IQD 885

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.50 IQD 655

312.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.37 IQD 488

481.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.31 IQD 402

629.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.63 IQD 829

120.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.45 IQD 589

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.98 IQD 2,588

113.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.12 IQD 2,772

71.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.38 IQD 495

-7.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-37.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$2.25 IQD 2,941

-38.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.49 IQD 1,949

-81.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-32.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.50 IQD 661

172.00%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

-5.46%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

19.85%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$40.44 IQD 52.9K

0.22%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$26.03 IQD 34.1K

5.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$25.75 IQD 33.7K

102.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

54.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.49 IQD 9,804

-17.36%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$86.2 IQD 112.9K

393.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$2,396 IQD 3.1M

347.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

176.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$29.78 IQD 39.0K

49.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

427.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

300.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$214 IQD 280.1K

373.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$176 IQD 230.6K

253.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$423 IQD 553.3K

401.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$295 IQD 385.7K

315.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$1,317 IQD 1.7M

187.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$383 IQD 502.0K

450.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$1,031 IQD 1.3M

2.07%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $214 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 121% 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: $1,014 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,472 per month in Mexico City versus $667 in Al Kufah – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Al Kufah versus $1,472 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 121% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.