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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $738 in Al Kut, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,140 in Al Kut, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,543 in Al Kut, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 99% more than Al Kut, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Al Kut is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.13 IQD 5,412

219.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$25.25 IQD 33.1K

113.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.02 IQD 9,193

34.19%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.57 IQD 3,364

38.13%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.36 IQD 476

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.20 IQD 268

455.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.88 IQD 3,768

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.82 IQD 3,687

64.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.35 IQD 1,773

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.77 IQD 1,012

253.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.55 IQD 2,034

23.23%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.53 IQD 2,004

66.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.62 IQD 6,046

117.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.55 IQD 4,654

127.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.98 IQD 17.0K

-10.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$0.86 IQD 1,124

245.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.06 IQD 1,385

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.81 IQD 1,061

148.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.75 IQD 976

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.69 IQD 899

207.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.68 IQD 890

233.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.62 IQD 818

125.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.56 IQD 731

101.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.94 IQD 2,535

120.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.80 IQD 2,354

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.16 IQD 2,824

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.39 IQD 513

-2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-37.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.36 IQD 3,088

-41.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.55 IQD 2,033

-81.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.92 IQD 7,748

-7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.56 IQD 737

132.14%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

-2.76%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.1K IQD 26.4M

14.81%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

-46.62%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

53.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$34.63 IQD 45.3K

-13.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$36.05 IQD 47.2K

44.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

56.96%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-19.75%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$149 IQD 195.3K

192.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,277 IQD 4.3M

217.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$27.28 IQD 35.7K

107.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$24.76 IQD 32.4K

79.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$61.9 IQD 81.1K

66.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$41.71 IQD 54.6K

152.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$239 IQD 313.1K

327.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$181 IQD 236.9K

248.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$570 IQD 746.3K

274.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$348 IQD 455.2K

257.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$990 IQD 1.3M

294.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$509 IQD 666.8K

305.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Al Kut: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $239 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: $288 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: $1,467 in Mexico City, $738 in Al Kut – roughly 99% apart. Mexico City costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,107 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 95% 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 $738, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $738 in Al Kut to $1,467 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.