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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $718 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,115 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,511 in Al Kut, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 103% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Al Kut is 46% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.97 IQD 5,200

229.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$24.91 IQD 32.6K

115.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.96 IQD 9,110

39.08%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.60 IQD 3,407

43.85%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.40 IQD 518

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.22 IQD 284

427.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.84 IQD 3,714

13.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.81 IQD 3,680

68.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.38 IQD 1,806

19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.80 IQD 1,047

243.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.54 IQD 2,022

21.43%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.60 IQD 2,089

56.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.37 IQD 5,720

133.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.50 IQD 4,589

135.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-9.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.92 IQD 1,205

227.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.01 IQD 1,319

79.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.86 IQD 1,125

132.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.74 IQD 970

170.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.69 IQD 906

201.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.67 IQD 879

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.68 IQD 889

114.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.53 IQD 689

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.89 IQD 2,469

130.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.86 IQD 2,431

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.07 IQD 2,706

72.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.36 IQD 475

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$31.18 IQD 40.8K

-40.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.35 IQD 3,082

-43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.49 IQD 1,952

-81.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$6.02 IQD 7,889

-12.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.57 IQD 740

135.09%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

3.32%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

21.85%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-46.33%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

51.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$34.68 IQD 45.4K

-12.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$37.39 IQD 49.0K

41.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

61.52%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.50 IQD 9,820

-13.20%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$153 IQD 200.2K

180.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

218.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$26.84 IQD 35.1K

113.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

76.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$61.3 IQD 80.3K

69.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$41.43 IQD 54.3K

160.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$241 IQD 315.0K

317.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$179 IQD 234.0K

248.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$580 IQD 759.1K

263.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$349 IQD 456.6K

249.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,019 IQD 1.3M

281.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$509 IQD 666.7K

299.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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 13, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $241 in Al Kut. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $25.00 in Al Kut. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $148 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kut: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City, $718 in Al Kut – roughly 103% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,077 in Al Kut. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $25.00 in Al Kut. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Mexico City at $1,456. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Mexico City has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $718 in Al Kut to $1,456 in Mexico City. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.