Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $645 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $976 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $1,306 in An Najaf, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 160% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while An Najaf is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$4.64 IQD 6,078

161.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

138.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$4.85 IQD 6,350

128.66%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$2.48 IQD 3,251

65.32%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$0.37 IQD 482

354.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.26 IQD 343

434.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$3.91 IQD 5,120

-14.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$1.97 IQD 2,586

198.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.03 IQD 1,346

79.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.82 IQD 1,077

286.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.57 IQD 2,052

31.85%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.65 IQD 2,160

77.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$3.71 IQD 4,853

239.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$4.73 IQD 6,201

113.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$10.73 IQD 14.1K

49.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.18 IQD 1,546

187.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.07 IQD 1,399

94.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.01 IQD 1,324

109.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.73 IQD 963

230.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.65 IQD 850

227.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.64 IQD 835

214.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.67 IQD 875

131.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.53 IQD 696

156.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$1.69 IQD 2,219

241.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

30.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$2.23 IQD 2,924

-7.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.25 IQD 2,948

104.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.33 IQD 428

12.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.54 IQD 2,018

33.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.49 IQD 1,951

-61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$5.31 IQD 6,958

14.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.45 IQD 588

244.44%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$11.8K IQD 15.5M

93.31%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$18.0K IQD 23.6M

51.19%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$38.16 IQD 50.0K

76.65%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$16.66 IQD 21.8K

83.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$37.30 IQD 48.8K

-0.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$28.91 IQD 37.9K

112.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

-24.04%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$168 IQD 219.9K

171.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$917 IQD 1.2M

1393.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$16.14 IQD 21.1K

359.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

111.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$71.2 IQD 93.2K

62.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

153.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$258 IQD 337.8K

344.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$140 IQD 183.4K

406.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$335 IQD 438.1K

670.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$204 IQD 266.7K

535.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,263 IQD 1.7M

217.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$488 IQD 638.5K

336.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$729 IQD 954.1K

48.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.12

174.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for An Najaf: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $258 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 49% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $174 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City costs about 160% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $968 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,677 in Mexico City and $645 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Mexico City and $168 in An Najaf. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Mexico City at $1,677. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $645 versus $1,677 in Mexico City. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.