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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $658 in Ba'qubah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $989 in Ba'qubah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,320 in Ba'qubah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 120% more expensive than Ba'qubah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Ba'qubah is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$4.84 IQD 6,342

168.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

240.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.45 IQD 8,452

46.20%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$1.16 IQD 1,521

207.76%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.52 IQD 682

209.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.22 IQD 286

422.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$1.93 IQD 2,523

63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.13 IQD 2,786

128.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.18 IQD 1,546

44.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.59 IQD 772

347.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.12 IQD 1,461

69.64%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.41 IQD 1,852

80.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$2.23 IQD 2,923

352.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$2.52 IQD 3,297

228.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$10.81 IQD 14.2K

7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$0.99 IQD 1,296

206.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.18 IQD 1,542

44.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$0.98 IQD 1,283

109.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.55 IQD 721

274.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.55 IQD 714

274.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.65 IQD 846

233.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.46 IQD 606

204.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.17 IQD 216

558.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.62 IQD 3,425

63.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$12.21 IQD 16.0K

26.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.37 IQD 1,798

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.02 IQD 2,649

82.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.40 IQD 518

-5.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

-38.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.35 IQD 3,072

-41.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.12 IQD 2,774

-86.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.24 IQD 6,865

3.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.35 IQD 464

265.71%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

-0.24%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

15.22%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$59.3 IQD 77.6K

-30.80%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

55.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$26.66 IQD 34.9K

11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

169.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$16.98 IQD 22.2K

54.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$3.85 IQD 5,040

60.52%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$26.46 IQD 34.6K

1514.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$638 IQD 835.2K

1577.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

199.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

132.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

28.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$26.36 IQD 34.5K

301.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$245 IQD 321.3K

305.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$181 IQD 236.6K

243.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$573 IQD 750.2K

271.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$350 IQD 458.1K

258.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$772 IQD 1.0M

405.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$193 IQD 252.4K

987.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$718 IQD 940.5K

54.16%

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 Ba'qubah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 54% 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 $288 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 120% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mexico City pays 54% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $245 in Ba'qubah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% 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 $658 in Ba'qubah versus $1,447 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 120% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.