Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $895 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,362 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,828 in As Samawah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 62% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, As Samawah is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.25 IQD 6,880

147.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

43.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.56 IQD 9,893

24.74%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$3.08 IQD 4,032

15.91%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.39 IQD 517

312.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.17 IQD 228

576.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.50 IQD 4,585

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.93 IQD 3,832

65.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.35 IQD 1,770

25.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.78 IQD 1,027

238.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.65 IQD 2,157

15.15%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.63 IQD 2,139

55.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.63 IQD 6,061

117.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.99 IQD 6,536

66.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

-18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.03 IQD 1,344

194.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$0.98 IQD 1,280

74.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.71 IQD 935

188.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.51 IQD 672

303.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.64 IQD 845

221.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.68 IQD 889

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.34 IQD 449

311.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.62 IQD 806

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.16 IQD 2,831

98.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

96.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.77 IQD 2,317

-5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.19 IQD 2,868

68.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.40 IQD 519

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

-38.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.93 IQD 5,143

-64.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.49 IQD 1,952

-81.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-30.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.57 IQD 746

124.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

-6.13%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

15.90%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$175 IQD 228.8K

-76.52%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

5.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

-27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

44.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

55.30%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-19.64%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$164 IQD 215.1K

160.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

198.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

96.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

43.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

63.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

140.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$242 IQD 316.6K

311.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$175 IQD 229.5K

254.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$579 IQD 758.5K

267.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$348 IQD 456.2K

259.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $242 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $37.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $173 per month, with As Samawah 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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,343 in As Samawah 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $242 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 62% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $164 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.