Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ba'qubah Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ba'qubah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,484 in Mexico City versus $638 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,381 in Mexico City versus $985 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,278 in Mexico City versus $1,333 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 133% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Ba'qubah is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$227

$5.03 IQD 6,593

158.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$929

$15.37 IQD 20.1K

245.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.72 MX$170

$6.35 IQD 8,318

53.07%

Cappuccino

$3.75 MX$65.6

$1.13 IQD 1,478

231.86%

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

$1.57 MX$27.46

$0.48 IQD 628

227.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.76

$0.18 IQD 242

527.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.93 IQD 2,534

64.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.66 MX$81.6

$2.06 IQD 2,697

126.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$28.37

$1.13 IQD 1,485

43.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.36

$0.55 IQD 726

392.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 MX$32.89

$1.12 IQD 1,473

67.86%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.90

$1.41 IQD 1,852

78.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$176

$2.26 IQD 2,964

346.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$2.52 IQD 3,298

228.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 MX$209

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

10.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$50.1

$0.92 IQD 1,202

210.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 MX$30.62

$1.13 IQD 1,480

54.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.48

$0.99 IQD 1,291

110.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.46

$0.60 IQD 782

228.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.79

$0.56 IQD 729

285.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.16

$0.69 IQD 901

215.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.34

$0.47 IQD 612

195.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.69

$0.21 IQD 281

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.5

$2.71 IQD 3,557

54.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 MX$249

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

16.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.85

$1.43 IQD 1,873

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 MX$64.5

$2.03 IQD 2,655

81.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.40 IQD 522

-2.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.66 MX$327

$31.61 IQD 41.4K

-40.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.39 MX$24.26

$2.37 IQD 3,100

-41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.32

$2.10 IQD 2,751

-85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$94.9

$5.32 IQD 6,973

1.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 MX$23.63

$0.33 IQD 427

309.09%

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

$18.9K MX$330.5K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-0.58%

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

$23.2K MX$405.2K

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

10.87%

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

$40.82 MX$714

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

-31.18%

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

$27.50 MX$481

$17.97 IQD 23.5K

53.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$532

$27.11 IQD 35.5K

12.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 MX$935

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

182.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.30 MX$460

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

58.34%

Cinema Ticket

$6.27 MX$110

$3.82 IQD 4,999

64.14%

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

$436 MX$7,632

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

1497.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.2K

$632 IQD 827.6K

1557.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$993

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

198.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 MX$784

$18.97 IQD 24.9K

136.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,799

$83.8 IQD 109.8K

22.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,888

$27.25 IQD 35.7K

295.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 MX$17.5K

$244 IQD 320.3K

308.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$620 MX$10.9K

$182 IQD 238.6K

240.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,137 MX$37.4K

$570 IQD 746.3K

275.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 MX$21.6K

$345 IQD 451.5K

258.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,865 MX$67.6K

$768 IQD 1.0M

403.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,332 MX$40.8K

$188 IQD 246.7K

1138.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 MX$18.7K

$730 IQD 956.4K

46.19%

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 Ba'qubah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,000 in Mexico City and $244 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 46% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $140 per month, with Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 133% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 46% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,000 in Mexico City versus $244 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $53.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,484 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.