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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $688 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,013 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $1,338 in An Najaf, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 112% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while An Najaf is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$4.06 IQD 5,317

221.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$23.20 IQD 30.4K

131.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$4.88 IQD 6,384

98.36%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.75 IQD 3,600

36.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.37 IQD 484

337.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.17 IQD 226

582.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.37 IQD 4,411

-4.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.86 IQD 3,739

65.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.31 IQD 1,716

25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.84 IQD 1,103

227.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.58 IQD 2,071

18.35%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.78 IQD 2,337

40.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$2.40 IQD 3,140

325.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$4.81 IQD 6,300

71.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$10.78 IQD 14.1K

9.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.27 IQD 1,665

137.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.17 IQD 1,528

54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.00 IQD 1,313

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.74 IQD 966

170.27%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.64 IQD 838

225.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.64 IQD 832

254.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.66 IQD 863

121.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.40 IQD 518

170.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.49 IQD 1,954

191.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.86 IQD 2,437

-6.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.19 IQD 2,871

63.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.37 IQD 483

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

-46.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.97 IQD 2,575

-32.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.52 IQD 1,993

-81.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$4.92 IQD 6,448

6.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.45 IQD 586

197.78%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

68.67%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

20.97%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

-30.78%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$23.18 IQD 30.3K

15.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$34.93 IQD 45.7K

-12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

80.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$14.81 IQD 19.4K

79.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-16.32%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$164 IQD 214.2K

161.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$918 IQD 1.2M

1043.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

251.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

82.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

58.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$43.72 IQD 57.2K

146.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$243 IQD 318.4K

312.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$133 IQD 173.9K

369.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$388 IQD 508.7K

442.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$152 IQD 198.6K

703.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,274 IQD 1.7M

204.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$479 IQD 627.0K

324.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$736 IQD 964.4K

40.91%

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 An Najaf: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $243 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 41% 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: $292 vs $171 – 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 112% 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 $2,185 per month in Mexico City and $1,031 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 $1,456 in Mexico City and $688 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 85% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Mexico City at $1,456. 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 $688 versus $1,456 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.