Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $721 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,075 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,429 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 102% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Al-mawsil is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

68.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

338.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$5.84 IQD 7,645

65.75%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$0.81 IQD 1,055

361.73%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.40 IQD 517

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.17 IQD 224

582.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$0.94 IQD 1,225

243.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.50 IQD 1,960

216.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$0.85 IQD 1,112

94.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.80 IQD 1,049

243.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.06 IQD 1,391

76.42%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.92 IQD 2,515

30.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.29 IQD 9,548

39.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.24 IQD 4,242

154.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$7.05 IQD 9,229

67.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.91 IQD 1,195

230.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$0.91 IQD 1,192

98.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.81 IQD 1,061

146.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.39 IQD 517

412.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.41 IQD 538

407.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.43 IQD 562

427.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.51 IQD 669

186.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.53 IQD 700

103.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.95 IQD 2,553

123.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

38.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.39 IQD 1,825

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.93 IQD 2,533

85.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.40 IQD 520

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

-40.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.17 IQD 2,839

-38.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.98 IQD 2,591

-85.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$3.28 IQD 4,298

60.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.33 IQD 432

306.06%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

28.84%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

34.92%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

-59.07%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

53.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

11.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

117.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

41.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-42.29%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$202 IQD 264.4K

112.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$694 IQD 909.2K

1412.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

312.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

154.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

451.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$242 IQD 316.7K

314.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$179 IQD 234.4K

247.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$572 IQD 748.7K

268.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$339 IQD 443.7K

259.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$608 IQD 795.8K

70.77%

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-mawsil: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 71% 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 $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $149 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $202 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.