Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Baghdad Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Baghdad

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $1,074 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,573 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $2,073 in Baghdad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 35% more expensive than Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Baghdad is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.27 IQD 6,895

146.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$36.86 IQD 48.3K

42.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

21.21%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.98 IQD 3,909

19.80%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.39 IQD 512

312.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.17 IQD 216

576.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$3.38 IQD 4,429

-6.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.89 IQD 3,785

68.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.30 IQD 1,702

30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.83 IQD 1,087

218.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.67 IQD 2,181

13.77%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.79 IQD 2,343

41.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$4.52 IQD 5,918

123.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$4.84 IQD 6,342

71.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.04 IQD 18.4K

-17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.28 IQD 1,680

136.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.15 IQD 1,504

48.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.04 IQD 1,363

97.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.70 IQD 914

194.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.69 IQD 897

198.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.62 IQD 813

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.67 IQD 883

108.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.63 IQD 824

77.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$2.13 IQD 2,786

101.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

12.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.79 IQD 2,348

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$2.15 IQD 2,812

71.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.76 IQD 993

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$28.16 IQD 36.9K

-32.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$3.78 IQD 4,954

-63.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$1.53 IQD 1,999

-81.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$7.54 IQD 9,868

-28.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.57 IQD 750

124.56%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

-4.92%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

15.56%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$181 IQD 236.7K

-77.31%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

4.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$40.76 IQD 53.4K

-27.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$41.00 IQD 53.7K

27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

41.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-20.87%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$166 IQD 217.8K

156.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,523 IQD 4.6M

203.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$28.27 IQD 37.0K

100.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$30.19 IQD 39.5K

48.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$63.3 IQD 82.9K

65.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

142.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$553 IQD 724.7K

79.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$320 IQD 418.5K

94.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$818 IQD 1.1M

159.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$583 IQD 763.6K

114.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$4,017 IQD 5.3M

-2.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$1,614 IQD 2.1M

29.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$648 IQD 848.7K

70.85%

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 Baghdad: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $553 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 71% 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 $37.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $190 per month, with Baghdad 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 Baghdad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 35% lower than in Mexico City. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Mexico City pays 71% 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 $553 in Baghdad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 48% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $166 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,074 in Baghdad versus $1,447 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,074 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.