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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $886 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,349 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,813 in As Samawah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 67% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, As Samawah is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.37 IQD 7,038

141.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

48.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

27.39%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$3.00 IQD 3,925

25.00%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.39 IQD 513

302.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.17 IQD 216

564.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$3.51 IQD 4,594

-9.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.91 IQD 3,816

60.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.31 IQD 1,719

23.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.82 IQD 1,080

230.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.63 IQD 2,136

15.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.61 IQD 2,110

55.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$4.39 IQD 5,746

129.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.06 IQD 6,625

63.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-13.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$1.02 IQD 1,333

180.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$0.99 IQD 1,294

76.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.69 IQD 903

201.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.49 IQD 639

302.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.66 IQD 862

227.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.63 IQD 822

246.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.32 IQD 418

334.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.67 IQD 878

67.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.11 IQD 2,765

99.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$7.59 IQD 9,945

87.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-4.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.18 IQD 2,858

68.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.40 IQD 521

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

-40.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$3.73 IQD 4,885

-62.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$1.54 IQD 2,019

-80.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-29.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.54 IQD 704

150.00%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

-5.47%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

15.41%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$176 IQD 230.0K

-76.75%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

7.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

-25.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

42.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

59.01%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-19.82%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$166 IQD 217.7K

162.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

193.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

101.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

44.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

57.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

145.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$243 IQD 318.0K

311.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$176 IQD 230.2K

253.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$576 IQD 755.1K

270.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$347 IQD 455.0K

255.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $243 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $172 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,225 in Mexico City and $1,329 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $243 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 68% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,484 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 67% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.