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: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $1,154 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,577 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 103% more expensive than 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

$12.98 MX$226

$3.97 IQD 5,194

226.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$923

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

111.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$169

$6.96 IQD 9,111

39.66%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.2

$2.59 IQD 3,387

44.79%

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

$1.57 MX$27.30

$0.40 IQD 523

292.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.64

$0.17 IQD 226

564.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.3

$2.98 IQD 3,906

6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.1

$2.88 IQD 3,778

61.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.21

$1.36 IQD 1,785

19.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.09

$0.78 IQD 1,025

247.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.70

$1.59 IQD 2,082

18.24%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.65

$1.71 IQD 2,239

46.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$175

$4.44 IQD 5,813

127.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$4.80 IQD 6,285

72.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$208

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

-9.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$49.77

$1.15 IQD 1,510

148.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.45

$1.21 IQD 1,590

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.27

$1.06 IQD 1,385

96.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.27

$0.71 IQD 929

177.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.58

$0.70 IQD 912

208.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.94

$0.67 IQD 878

225.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.20

$0.63 IQD 823

120.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.57

$0.56 IQD 733

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.1

$1.88 IQD 2,465

123.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$248

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.68

$1.78 IQD 2,329

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.1

$2.19 IQD 2,868

68.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.71

$0.37 IQD 482

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$325

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

-40.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.12

$2.24 IQD 2,930

-37.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.29

$1.53 IQD 2,005

-80.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.3

$5.83 IQD 7,631

-7.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.50

$0.58 IQD 754

132.76%

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

$18.9K MX$328.6K

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

0.24%

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

$23.2K MX$402.8K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

15.12%

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

$40.82 MX$710

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

-48.17%

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

$27.50 MX$479

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

55.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$529

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

-12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$930

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

46.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$458

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

57.20%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$109

$7.44 IQD 9,749

-15.73%

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

$436 MX$7,588

$151 IQD 197.3K

189.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.1K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

216.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$988

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

105.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$779

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

80.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,789

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

67.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

161.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.4K

$242 IQD 316.5K

313.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.8K

$175 IQD 229.5K

254.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.2K

$571 IQD 748.2K

274.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.5K

$350 IQD 459.0K

252.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.6K

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 Az Zubayr: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $242 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 $286 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 103% in total monthly costs ($1,484 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 $2,225 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: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $242 in Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% 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 $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,484 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 103% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.