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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $878 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,356 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,834 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 65% more expensive than Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Al-musayyib is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$224

$5.26 IQD 6,889

146.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$907

$36.65 IQD 48.0K

43.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$163

$7.51 IQD 9,828

25.57%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.6

$3.11 IQD 4,077

14.79%

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

$1.61 MX$27.68

$0.36 IQD 475

347.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.90

$0.20 IQD 263

475.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.3

$3.45 IQD 4,518

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.8

$2.94 IQD 3,856

65.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.30

$1.14 IQD 1,490

49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.44

$0.83 IQD 1,093

218.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.82

$1.57 IQD 2,061

21.02%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.82

$1.57 IQD 2,059

61.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$174

$4.60 IQD 6,023

119.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$143

$3.87 IQD 5,071

114.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$200

$11.67 IQD 15.3K

-0.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.2

$1.14 IQD 1,486

165.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.49

$1.12 IQD 1,461

52.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.32

$1.05 IQD 1,370

95.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.52

$0.58 IQD 760

255.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.59

$0.64 IQD 838

221.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.42

$0.59 IQD 769

267.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.19

$0.60 IQD 784

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.37 IQD 480

202.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.0

$2.13 IQD 2,786

101.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$266

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

15.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

$1.78 IQD 2,326

-6.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.6

$2.10 IQD 2,747

75.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.58

$0.39 IQD 516

-2.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$329

$31.23 IQD 40.9K

-38.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.81

$3.90 IQD 5,103

-64.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.76

$1.48 IQD 1,933

-81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$93.4

$7.57 IQD 9,907

-28.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$22.08

$0.53 IQD 699

141.51%

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

$19.0K MX$327.3K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-3.91%

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

$23.5K MX$404.5K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

17.23%

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

$41.02 MX$707

$179 IQD 234.1K

-77.05%

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

$26.92 MX$464

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

2.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$512

$40.27 IQD 52.7K

-26.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$902

$37.09 IQD 48.6K

41.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$452

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

58.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$107

$7.51 IQD 9,840

-17.71%

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

$427 MX$7,364

$166 IQD 217.7K

156.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$184.5K

$3,586 IQD 4.7M

198.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$980

$28.39 IQD 37.2K

100.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$773

$30.81 IQD 40.3K

45.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,802

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

63.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,827

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

144.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.2K

$244 IQD 319.6K

307.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$176 IQD 229.9K

253.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.7K

$575 IQD 752.9K

269.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.6K

$341 IQD 446.8K

267.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.1K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in Al-musayyib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $170 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Al-musayyib differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $878 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,317 in Al-musayyib to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $995 in Mexico City versus $244 in Al-musayyib. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $166 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $878 in Al-musayyib versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.