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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $643 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $991 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $1,339 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 129% more expensive than in 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

$13.14 MX$227

$5.05 IQD 6,612

160.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$926

$15.29 IQD 20.0K

250.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$161

$6.68 IQD 8,747

39.67%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.0

$1.17 IQD 1,536

216.24%

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

$1.60 MX$27.76

$0.52 IQD 687

207.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.34

$0.17 IQD 224

558.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.3

$1.88 IQD 2,464

67.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$83.9

$2.11 IQD 2,766

129.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.61

$1.13 IQD 1,482

46.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$46.96

$0.59 IQD 770

359.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.03

$1.17 IQD 1,527

63.25%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.81

$1.46 IQD 1,914

77.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$170

$2.29 IQD 2,994

328.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$146

$2.52 IQD 3,298

234.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$206

$10.62 IQD 13.9K

12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$0.99 IQD 1,297

197.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.10

$1.12 IQD 1,464

55.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.38

$1.00 IQD 1,306

104.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.64

$0.55 IQD 719

274.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.20

$0.55 IQD 725

290.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.02

$0.64 IQD 840

253.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$23.97

$0.49 IQD 642

183.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.31

$0.21 IQD 271

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.0

$2.72 IQD 3,559

55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$303

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

42.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.58

$1.42 IQD 1,863

20.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$62.8

$2.02 IQD 2,650

79.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.10

$0.39 IQD 517

-10.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$334

$30.62 IQD 40.1K

-36.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.80

$2.31 IQD 3,027

-40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.77

$2.02 IQD 2,645

-86.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$91.3

$5.30 IQD 6,938

-0.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.50

$0.35 IQD 459

288.57%

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

$19.1K MX$330.5K

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

-2.01%

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

$23.6K MX$408.4K

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

14.36%

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

$40.53 MX$701

$57.9 IQD 75.8K

-29.96%

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

$27.38 MX$474

$17.57 IQD 23.0K

55.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$526

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$903

$19.07 IQD 25.0K

173.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$458

$16.70 IQD 21.9K

58.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$107

$3.87 IQD 5,073

59.95%

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

$425 MX$7,355

$26.35 IQD 34.5K

1513.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$185.7K

$638 IQD 835.4K

1582.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,009

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

209.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$771

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

136.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,791

$81.0 IQD 106.1K

27.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,881

$26.53 IQD 34.7K

309.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.5K

$246 IQD 322.7K

311.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$180 IQD 235.3K

246.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$36.7K

$584 IQD 765.3K

262.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$341 IQD 446.9K

258.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$65.6K

$755 IQD 988.8K

402.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.5K

$187 IQD 245.2K

1026.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.2K

$726 IQD 951.2K

44.86%

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 Ba'qubah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 45% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $15.00 in Ba'qubah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $141 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 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% higher in Mexico City, 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: $1,014 in Mexico City versus $246 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 109% 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 $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $643 in Ba'qubah versus $1,472 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 129% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.