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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $746 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,164 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,582 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Az Zubayr is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$3.97 IQD 5,205

226.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

112.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.76 IQD 8,848

39.50%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.63 IQD 3,446

35.74%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.36 IQD 475

347.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.16 IQD 213

618.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.86 IQD 3,745

10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.93 IQD 3,833

65.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.36 IQD 1,777

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.82 IQD 1,076

221.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.64 IQD 2,151

15.85%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.81 IQD 2,364

40.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.42 IQD 5,784

128.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.81 IQD 6,292

72.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

-12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.14 IQD 1,490

165.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.15 IQD 1,506

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.01 IQD 1,323

102.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.69 IQD 905

198.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.69 IQD 904

198.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.67 IQD 874

223.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.62 IQD 817

125.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.56 IQD 737

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.94 IQD 2,534

121.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.80 IQD 2,357

-7.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.14 IQD 2,809

72.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.40 IQD 522

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

-39.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.29 IQD 2,996

-39.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.47 IQD 1,926

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.96 IQD 7,804

-9.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.57 IQD 743

124.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

-2.30%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

17.01%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

-46.95%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

53.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

-12.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

41.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

53.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.50 IQD 9,822

-17.60%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$153 IQD 200.4K

179.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

225.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

107.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

79.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

69.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

153.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$243 IQD 317.6K

310.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$179 IQD 234.4K

246.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$586 IQD 767.7K

262.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$344 IQD 451.1K

263.93%

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 Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $243 in Az Zubayr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 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 94% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $746 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,171 in Mexico City and $1,118 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $243 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% 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 $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,447 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 94% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.