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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $617 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $827 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,038 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 169% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Al-mawsil is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$206

$7.55 IQD 9,891

57.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$890

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

317.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$197

$5.61 IQD 7,344

103.39%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.9

$0.75 IQD 981

432.00%

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

$1.66 MX$28.61

$0.37 IQD 484

348.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.87

$0.19 IQD 252

600.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.9

$0.97 IQD 1,265

257.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$102

$1.51 IQD 1,982

290.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.36

$0.78 IQD 1,015

141.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$0.73 IQD 959

345.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.26

$0.62 IQD 815

248.39%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.94

$1.13 IQD 1,482

156.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$222

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

61.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$173

$3.48 IQD 4,551

188.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$273

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

72.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.8

$0.73 IQD 956

350.68%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.60

$0.74 IQD 965

171.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.93

$0.60 IQD 781

266.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.63

$0.28 IQD 368

742.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.43

$0.32 IQD 425

540.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.79

$0.37 IQD 482

413.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.78 IQD 1,028

106.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$24.09

$0.59 IQD 772

137.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$94.2

$1.87 IQD 2,444

191.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$304

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

42.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.44

$1.69 IQD 2,210

21.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.8

$2.08 IQD 2,720

125.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.84

$0.39 IQD 514

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$359

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

-31.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$36.15

$1.85 IQD 2,426

13.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.64

$1.82 IQD 2,382

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$100

$4.54 IQD 5,945

27.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.33 IQD 430

387.88%

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

$22.8K MX$393.8K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

49.75%

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

$26.8K MX$461.2K

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

50.55%

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

$65.2 MX$1,124

$109 IQD 142.3K

-40.03%

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

$30.09 MX$519

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

115.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$641

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

41.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,030

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

159.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$458

$7.44 IQD 9,736

256.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-9.86%

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

$465 MX$8,012

$306 IQD 401.0K

51.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$228.9K

$688 IQD 900.4K

1830.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,308

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

299.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$965

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

262.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,929

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

58.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,078

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

567.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$19.0K

$113 IQD 148.3K

873.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

844.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.6K

$301 IQD 393.7K

741.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.9K

$608 IQD 795.7K

70.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.53

346.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: September 14, 2026

Last update for Al-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,103 in Mexico City and $113 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $152 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 169% 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: $1,103 in Mexico City versus $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $306 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 127% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,660 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 169% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.