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: $1,472 in Mexico City versus $1,055 in Baghdad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,359 in Mexico City versus $1,565 in Baghdad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,245 in Mexico City versus $2,074 in Baghdad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 40% more expensive than in Baghdad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Baghdad is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.14 MX$229

$5.50 IQD 7,206

138.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 MX$934

$36.22 IQD 47.4K

47.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.33 MX$163

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

21.17%

Cappuccino

$3.70 MX$64.5

$2.98 IQD 3,903

24.16%

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

$1.60 MX$27.98

$0.36 IQD 477

344.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.49

$0.17 IQD 219

558.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.51 IQD 4,590

-10.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 MX$84.5

$2.93 IQD 3,839

65.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.84

$1.35 IQD 1,768

22.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 MX$47.34

$0.78 IQD 1,023

247.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.29

$1.59 IQD 2,076

20.13%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$45.17

$1.79 IQD 2,338

44.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 MX$171

$4.58 IQD 5,999

114.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.81 IQD 6,296

75.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.93 MX$208

$14.13 IQD 18.5K

-15.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$51.5

$1.23 IQD 1,612

139.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 MX$30.35

$1.21 IQD 1,590

43.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.04 MX$35.66

$1.00 IQD 1,311

104.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.93

$0.74 IQD 970

178.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.49

$0.65 IQD 854

230.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$39.33

$0.67 IQD 881

237.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 MX$24.17

$0.62 IQD 817

124.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.47

$0.66 IQD 861

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 MX$73.6

$2.05 IQD 2,690

105.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.51 MX$305

$13.49 IQD 17.7K

29.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.82

$1.79 IQD 2,346

-4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MX$63.4

$2.15 IQD 2,821

68.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 MX$6.15

$0.75 IQD 976

-53.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.32 MX$337

$27.88 IQD 36.5K

-30.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$24.00

$3.93 IQD 5,147

-64.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.81

$1.47 IQD 1,922

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.28 MX$92.0

$7.50 IQD 9,826

-29.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 MX$23.69

$0.56 IQD 740

142.86%

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

$19.1K MX$333.2K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

-2.91%

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

$23.6K MX$411.7K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

18.59%

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

$40.53 MX$707

$176 IQD 230.7K

-76.99%

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

$27.38 MX$478

$25.81 IQD 33.8K

6.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.38 MX$530

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

-26.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$911

$42.14 IQD 55.2K

23.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.48 MX$462

$18.56 IQD 24.3K

42.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.19 MX$108

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-20.33%

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

$425 MX$7,414

$168 IQD 220.3K

152.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$187.2K

$3,627 IQD 4.7M

196.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,017

$27.92 IQD 36.6K

108.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.57 MX$777

$30.46 IQD 39.9K

46.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,805

$64.9 IQD 85.0K

59.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 MX$1,897

$43.79 IQD 57.3K

148.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 MX$17.7K

$554 IQD 725.1K

83.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$321 IQD 419.7K

94.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,119 MX$37.0K

$839 IQD 1.1M

152.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.3K

$583 IQD 764.1K

109.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,792 MX$66.1K

$4,745 IQD 6.2M

-20.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,110 MX$36.8K

$1,597 IQD 2.1M

32.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.4K

$612 IQD 800.9K

72.04%

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 Baghdad: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Mexico City and $554 in Baghdad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 72% 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 $36.00 in Baghdad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 40% 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.

Average pay runs 72% 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 $554 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 44% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $425 in Mexico City versus $168 in Baghdad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,055 in Baghdad versus $1,472 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 $1,055 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 40% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.