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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $739 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,368 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,996 in Basra.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 97% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Basra is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.79 IQD 4,959

244.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

112.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.74 IQD 8,831

43.62%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.03 IQD 2,656

84.24%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.47 IQD 612

244.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.35 IQD 452

231.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.72 IQD 4,866

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.59 IQD 3,391

83.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.23 IQD 1,608

34.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.70 IQD 922

292.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.46 IQD 1,906

28.08%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.88 IQD 2,467

32.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$8.26 IQD 10.8K

23.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$6.93 IQD 9,071

19.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$13.13 IQD 17.2K

-9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$1.05 IQD 1,370

186.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.34 IQD 1,756

35.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.00 IQD 1,316

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.59 IQD 774

238.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.68 IQD 894

205.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.60 IQD 789

278.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.78 IQD 1,022

87.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.41 IQD 542

163.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.95 IQD 2,559

123.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

28.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$3.02 IQD 3,957

-42.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$3.92 IQD 5,139

-8.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.37 IQD 479

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$23.11 IQD 30.3K

-19.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$2.28 IQD 2,992

-41.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$2.26 IQD 2,957

-87.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$6.93 IQD 9,071

-24.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.56 IQD 732

139.29%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$13.1K IQD 17.2M

47.76%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$22.6K IQD 29.6M

5.37%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$56.7 IQD 74.2K

-28.21%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$25.66 IQD 33.6K

4.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$38.60 IQD 50.5K

-20.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

45.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$15.54 IQD 20.4K

71.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-16.75%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$98.0 IQD 128.3K

336.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,807 IQD 5.0M

175.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$42.66 IQD 55.9K

34.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$20.58 IQD 27.0K

121.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$70.1 IQD 91.9K

48.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$41.08 IQD 53.8K

162.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$445 IQD 582.7K

125.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$136 IQD 178.0K

358.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$908 IQD 1.2M

132.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$650 IQD 851.8K

87.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$1,605 IQD 2.1M

141.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$783 IQD 1.0M

159.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$752 IQD 985.3K

37.93%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Basra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $445 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 38% 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 $25.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $212 per month, with Basra 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 Basra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Basra differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $739 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 38% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $445 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $54.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Basra versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Basra the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.