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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $388 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,246 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $2,105 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 324% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Al-Rumaitha is 72% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$0.78 IQD 1,015

167.95%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$1.80 IQD 2,355

61.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$1.95 IQD 2,549

418.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$10.57 IQD 13.8K

50.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$0.75 IQD 982

341.33%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$0.78 IQD 1,027

173.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$0.77 IQD 1,011

184.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$0.36 IQD 476

580.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.40 IQD 520

447.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$0.39 IQD 515

387.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.39 IQD 512

315.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.39 IQD 512

246.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$1.50 IQD 1,965

262.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

37.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$1.55 IQD 2,027

33.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$2.31 IQD 3,031

105.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.36 IQD 475

-5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$2.32 IQD 3,040

-12.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$0.77 IQD 1,009

-24.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$9,188 IQD 12.0M

190.18%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

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

$29.87 MX$507

$75.0 IQD 98.3K

-60.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$26.91 IQD 35.2K

126.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$3.87 IQD 5,073

589.92%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$11.47 IQD 15.0K

-40.28%

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

$453 MX$7,700

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

564.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$14.99 IQD 19.6K

268.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$22.81 IQD 29.9K

437.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$150 IQD 196.8K

654.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$114 IQD 149.6K

523.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$229 IQD 300.4K

1020.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$1,537 IQD 2.0M

-14.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $150 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 324% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,469 in Mexico City and $582 in Al-Rumaitha 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $150 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 210% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,646 per month in Mexico City versus $388 in Al-Rumaitha – a 324% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $388 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,646 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 324% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.