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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $734 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,085 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,437 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 100% more expensive than Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Al-mawsil is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.47 IQD 9,781

76.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

345.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$5.87 IQD 7,683

60.48%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$0.75 IQD 977

373.33%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.36 IQD 473

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.17 IQD 218

552.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$0.91 IQD 1,198

242.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.48 IQD 1,944

212.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.92 IQD 1,207

84.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.75 IQD 976

262.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.05 IQD 1,378

81.90%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.97 IQD 2,578

28.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.27 IQD 9,521

37.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.30 IQD 4,326

145.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$7.12 IQD 9,320

63.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$0.92 IQD 1,203

222.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$0.86 IQD 1,126

110.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.77 IQD 1,012

161.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.37 IQD 479

448.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.41 IQD 543

417.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.46 IQD 601

393.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.52 IQD 679

169.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.48 IQD 635

135.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.90 IQD 2,492

124.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

27.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.37 IQD 1,799

28.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.92 IQD 2,518

87.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.37 IQD 482

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

-38.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.18 IQD 2,850

-36.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$2.02 IQD 2,646

-86.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$3.35 IQD 4,391

62.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.35 IQD 461

271.43%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

19.73%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

30.80%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

-58.72%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

49.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

11.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

117.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

43.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

-45.17%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$198 IQD 258.7K

120.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$701 IQD 917.6K

1386.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

302.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

153.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

25.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

453.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$241 IQD 316.0K

323.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$177 IQD 231.4K

256.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$585 IQD 765.8K

265.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$349 IQD 457.4K

255.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$607 IQD 795.3K

83.60%

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-mawsil: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $241 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 84% 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 $288 vs $148 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 84% 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $241 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $198 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 94% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,467 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 100% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.