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: $1,646 in Mexico City versus $962 in Basra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $1,458 in Basra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,580 in Mexico City versus $1,955 in Basra.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 71% more expensive than in Basra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 20% above, Basra is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.11 MX$206

$4.60 IQD 6,028

163.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$887

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

73.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 MX$185

$7.50 IQD 9,827

45.33%

Cappuccino

$4.05 MX$68.8

$2.56 IQD 3,351

58.20%

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

$1.72 MX$29.13

$0.46 IQD 604

273.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 MX$23.40

$0.35 IQD 454

294.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$58.9

$3.85 IQD 5,048

-9.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.81 MX$98.7

$4.31 IQD 5,640

34.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.48

$1.11 IQD 1,460

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 MX$54.7

$0.64 IQD 844

403.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.42

$1.40 IQD 1,836

49.29%

Eggs

$2.91 MX$49.41

$1.87 IQD 2,452

55.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 MX$212

$7.57 IQD 9,914

64.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$6.38 IQD 8,353

58.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.89 MX$270

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

13.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.31 MX$56.3

$1.03 IQD 1,343

221.36%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.12

$1.38 IQD 1,802

54.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.20

$0.99 IQD 1,292

121.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.45 MX$41.57

$0.69 IQD 904

255.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.18

$0.79 IQD 1,033

177.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.35

$0.63 IQD 824

201.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.87 IQD 1,146

86.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.35 MX$22.92

$0.41 IQD 539

229.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 MX$92.1

$2.12 IQD 2,779

156.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.59 MX$299

$6.75 IQD 8,839

160.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.12

$3.10 IQD 4,058

-33.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 MX$80.6

$3.83 IQD 5,020

24.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.77

$0.55 IQD 716

-38.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.58 MX$366

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

10.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 MX$34.65

$2.22 IQD 2,910

-8.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.82

$2.34 IQD 3,059

-75.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.97 MX$101

$7.44 IQD 9,746

-19.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 MX$27.44

$0.55 IQD 722

194.55%

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

$22.8K MX$387.4K

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

73.01%

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

$26.7K MX$452.8K

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

15.70%

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

$65.2 MX$1,108

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

31.32%

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

$29.87 MX$507

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.55 MX$621

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

-6.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.0 MX$1,036

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

68.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.70 MX$453

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

94.32%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 MX$116

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-11.04%

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

$453 MX$7,700

$127 IQD 165.9K

257.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$227.1K

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

247.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 MX$1,273

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

50.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 MX$939

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

173.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 MX$1,929

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

43.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 MX$2,083

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

192.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 MX$19.3K

$469 IQD 614.4K

141.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$712 MX$12.1K

$339 IQD 443.5K

110.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,571 MX$43.7K

$860 IQD 1.1M

198.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,311 MX$22.3K

$628 IQD 822.0K

108.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,993 MX$67.8K

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

155.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,095 MX$35.6K

$800 IQD 1.0M

161.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,047 MX$17.8K

$769 IQD 1.0M

36.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

5.67

99.29%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Mexico City: August 29, 2026

Last update for Basra: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,134 in Mexico City and $469 in Basra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 36% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $30.00 in Basra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $197 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 71% in total monthly costs ($1,646 vs $962 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $1,134 in Mexico City versus $469 in Basra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% 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 $30.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,646 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 71% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.