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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,181 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,596 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 91% more expensive than Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Al-Rumaitha is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.07 IQD 5,331

223.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$24.66 IQD 32.3K

118.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.94 IQD 9,087

35.73%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$2.57 IQD 3,369

38.13%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.39 IQD 516

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.16 IQD 216

593.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$2.86 IQD 3,743

9.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$2.95 IQD 3,870

56.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$1.33 IQD 1,736

27.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.85 IQD 1,112

220.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.57 IQD 2,060

21.66%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.78 IQD 2,329

42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.38 IQD 5,741

129.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.73 IQD 6,192

71.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$12.99 IQD 17.0K

-10.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$1.20 IQD 1,577

147.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.15 IQD 1,500

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$1.06 IQD 1,383

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.70 IQD 919

190.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.70 IQD 920

202.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.63 IQD 830

260.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.64 IQD 835

118.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.55 IQD 722

105.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.94 IQD 2,546

120.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.84 IQD 2,414

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$2.14 IQD 2,806

68.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.37 IQD 483

2.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$31.62 IQD 41.4K

-39.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$2.34 IQD 3,070

-41.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.48 IQD 1,935

-81.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$6.14 IQD 8,044

-11.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.54 IQD 703

140.74%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

-0.39%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

15.83%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$76.9 IQD 100.7K

-46.86%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$17.44 IQD 22.8K

53.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$34.89 IQD 45.7K

-14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$36.96 IQD 48.4K

40.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

62.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.64 IQD 10.0K

-17.54%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$150 IQD 196.0K

191.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$3,219 IQD 4.2M

223.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$27.34 IQD 35.8K

107.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$25.62 IQD 33.6K

73.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$62.5 IQD 81.9K

64.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$40.65 IQD 53.2K

159.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$244 IQD 319.4K

319.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$176 IQD 230.0K

259.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$570 IQD 746.9K

274.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$343 IQD 449.5K

262.10%

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

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-Rumaitha: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $184 per month, with Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,150 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $244 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,467 per month in Mexico City versus $766 in Al-Rumaitha – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 65% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $766 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,467 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 91% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.