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 $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $673 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $993 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $1,313 in An Najaf, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 118% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while An Najaf is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$4.17 IQD 5,458

216.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$22.52 IQD 29.5K

139.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$4.87 IQD 6,383

93.43%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$2.72 IQD 3,565

30.51%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.37 IQD 481

337.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.18 IQD 232

516.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.48 IQD 4,562

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.78 IQD 3,646

66.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.33 IQD 1,735

27.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.79 IQD 1,040

244.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.61 IQD 2,107

18.63%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.80 IQD 2,358

41.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$2.32 IQD 3,042

332.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.91 IQD 6,436

64.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$10.51 IQD 13.8K

10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.24 IQD 1,617

139.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.15 IQD 1,511

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.06 IQD 1,386

89.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.75 IQD 986

170.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.65 IQD 849

226.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.68 IQD 890

233.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.66 IQD 862

112.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.40 IQD 521

182.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$1.50 IQD 1,966

184.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

16.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.84 IQD 2,410

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.07 IQD 2,708

73.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.36 IQD 478

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

-43.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$1.94 IQD 2,544

-28.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.54 IQD 2,012

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$5.02 IQD 6,572

8.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.44 IQD 579

195.45%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

61.35%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

15.33%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$59.9 IQD 78.4K

-31.79%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$22.72 IQD 29.7K

18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-14.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

77.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

81.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-17.97%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$164 IQD 215.1K

165.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$923 IQD 1.2M

1027.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

247.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$24.86 IQD 32.6K

78.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

58.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$42.67 IQD 55.9K

147.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$240 IQD 314.8K

325.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$134 IQD 175.4K

370.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$386 IQD 505.3K

453.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$150 IQD 196.5K

728.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,232 IQD 1.6M

216.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$481 IQD 630.0K

329.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$748 IQD 978.9K

49.16%

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 An Najaf: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $240 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: $288 vs $170 – 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 118% 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 $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,009 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 $1,467 in Mexico City and $673 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 76% 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 $673, than in Mexico City at $1,467. 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 $673 versus $1,467 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.