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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $892 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,353 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,814 in As Samawah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 65% more expensive than in As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, As Samawah is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$5.24 IQD 6,866

150.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

46.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

20.70%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$3.04 IQD 3,987

21.71%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.37 IQD 484

332.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.20 IQD 265

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$3.48 IQD 4,553

-9.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.93 IQD 3,837

65.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.37 IQD 1,799

20.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.82 IQD 1,074

230.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.60 IQD 2,089

19.37%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.64 IQD 2,146

57.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.60 IQD 6,022

113.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.83 IQD 6,329

74.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

-15.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.03 IQD 1,347

186.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.02 IQD 1,339

70.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$0.68 IQD 893

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.51 IQD 673

303.92%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.70 IQD 916

207.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.62 IQD 817

264.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.31 IQD 411

348.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.62 IQD 806

80.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.08 IQD 2,723

102.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

126.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.07 IQD 2,716

75.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.39 IQD 516

-10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

-37.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$3.91 IQD 5,117

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.54 IQD 2,021

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$7.62 IQD 9,979

-30.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.56 IQD 734

142.86%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

-3.17%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

19.05%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$179 IQD 234.3K

-77.35%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

4.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

-24.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

44.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

56.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-19.71%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$169 IQD 220.9K

151.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

195.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

108.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

46.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

63.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

152.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$239 IQD 312.9K

324.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$182 IQD 238.1K

242.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$579 IQD 758.4K

265.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$349 IQD 457.2K

250.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

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 25, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $239 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,338 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $239 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 60% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $169 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,472 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 65% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.