Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,156 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,581 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 101% more expensive than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Az Zubayr is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$227

$4.00 IQD 5,231

228.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

112.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.98 IQD 9,134

33.67%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$2.55 IQD 3,336

45.10%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.40 IQD 521

300.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.20 IQD 266

460.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$2.96 IQD 3,879

6.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.86 IQD 3,743

69.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.32 IQD 1,726

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.83 IQD 1,092

226.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.66 IQD 2,177

15.06%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.78 IQD 2,332

45.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$4.61 IQD 6,038

112.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$4.68 IQD 6,122

80.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

-9.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.16 IQD 1,518

154.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.15 IQD 1,501

51.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.01 IQD 1,328

101.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.69 IQD 901

198.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.64 IQD 839

235.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.64 IQD 836

253.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.67 IQD 880

107.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.56 IQD 731

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$1.96 IQD 2,567

115.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.77 IQD 2,313

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.11 IQD 2,762

72.04%

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

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-37.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$2.25 IQD 2,953

-38.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$1.54 IQD 2,011

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$5.95 IQD 7,788

-11.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.57 IQD 743

138.60%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

-0.46%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

20.49%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

-47.36%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

52.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-12.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$37.05 IQD 48.5K

40.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

60.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$7.61 IQD 9,965

-18.66%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$152 IQD 199.6K

178.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

224.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$27.50 IQD 36.0K

112.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

78.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

67.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$40.34 IQD 52.8K

169.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$239 IQD 312.7K

324.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$181 IQD 236.4K

245.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$581 IQD 760.4K

265.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$346 IQD 453.3K

253.38%

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 Az Zubayr: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Az Zubayr differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,472 vs $731 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,208 in Mexico City and $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,472 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.