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: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 87% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Al-Rumaitha is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$4.00 IQD 5,239

226.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

113.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.71 IQD 8,785

44.26%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.60 IQD 3,408

43.85%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.39 IQD 515

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.20 IQD 265

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$2.86 IQD 3,745

12.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.91 IQD 3,809

62.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.33 IQD 1,738

24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.79 IQD 1,031

248.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.66 IQD 2,168

12.65%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.74 IQD 2,274

43.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.37 IQD 5,727

133.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.61 IQD 6,039

78.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

-11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.20 IQD 1,570

150.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.15 IQD 1,507

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.02 IQD 1,330

96.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.74 IQD 964

170.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.65 IQD 845

220.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.67 IQD 872

238.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.62 IQD 813

135.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.55 IQD 722

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.89 IQD 2,479

130.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.85 IQD 2,421

-6.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.08 IQD 2,727

72.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.36 IQD 478

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

-40.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.33 IQD 3,054

-42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.49 IQD 1,957

-81.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$5.92 IQD 7,756

-11.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.57 IQD 751

135.09%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

0.94%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

21.61%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

-47.91%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

53.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

-11.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

43.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

55.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.63 IQD 9,995

-14.68%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$153 IQD 200.1K

180.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

215.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

113.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

81.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

67.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

166.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$239 IQD 313.3K

319.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$179 IQD 234.9K

247.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$584 IQD 764.6K

261.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$338 IQD 442.7K

260.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $239 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 $292 vs $183 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 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,165 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,456 per month in Mexico City versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha – a 87% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 67% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,456 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 87% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.