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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,481 in Mexico City versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,352 in Mexico City versus $1,042 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,222 in Mexico City versus $1,437 in Duhok.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 129% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 11% above, Duhok is 52% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 MX$230

$3.82 IQD 4,994

244.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.6 MX$936

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

184.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.55 MX$167

$7.18 IQD 9,392

33.01%

Cappuccino

$3.72 MX$65.0

$2.64 IQD 3,452

40.91%

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

$1.57 MX$27.39

$0.40 IQD 522

292.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.20

$0.18 IQD 233

544.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$1.13 IQD 1,482

181.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$81.0

$1.87 IQD 2,449

147.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.80

$1.37 IQD 1,786

24.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$45.73

$0.82 IQD 1,067

219.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 MX$33.01

$1.57 IQD 2,050

20.38%

Eggs

$2.60 MX$45.36

$1.88 IQD 2,462

38.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.91 MX$173

$5.22 IQD 6,825

89.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 MX$144

$2.94 IQD 3,840

179.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.78 MX$206

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-6.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 MX$52.4

$1.12 IQD 1,460

167.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 MX$31.45

$1.14 IQD 1,494

57.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.24

$0.82 IQD 1,071

152.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$34.37

$0.75 IQD 977

162.67%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.21

$0.72 IQD 939

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.00

$0.71 IQD 924

205.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.52

$0.77 IQD 1,011

81.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.78

$0.56 IQD 726

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 MX$72.0

$1.87 IQD 2,450

120.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.42 MX$304

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

42.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.28

$1.38 IQD 1,802

21.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MX$63.8

$2.00 IQD 2,610

82.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.35 IQD 460

8.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.71 MX$327

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

17.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.23

$2.35 IQD 3,079

-43.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 MX$5.30

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-80.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 MX$96.3

$6.04 IQD 7,901

-8.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.81

$0.64 IQD 835

104.69%

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

$19.2K MX$334.9K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

1.65%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

20.64%

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

$41.14 MX$719

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

-55.88%

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

$27.74 MX$485

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

177.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.13 MX$527

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

-0.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.7 MX$939

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

3.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.98 MX$454

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

54.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 MX$113

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

-15.49%

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

$437 MX$7,630

$112 IQD 146.9K

288.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.7K

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

224.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 MX$1,019

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

489.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.86 MX$801

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

133.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 MX$1,773

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

240.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 MX$1,862

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

428.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 MX$17.6K

$181 IQD 236.5K

455.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$634 MX$11.1K

$123 IQD 160.4K

416.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 MX$37.5K

$374 IQD 489.8K

473.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,247 MX$21.8K

$345 IQD 450.6K

261.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,859 MX$67.4K

$460 IQD 601.6K

739.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,085 MX$36.4K

$385 IQD 503.8K

441.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,072 MX$18.7K

$431 IQD 564.3K

148.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

14.33

-20.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 22, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,005 in Mexico City and $181 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 149% 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 $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $172 per month, with Duhok 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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Duhok differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,481 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 149% 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: $1,005 in Mexico City versus $181 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $437 in Mexico City versus $112 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 69% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,481 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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.

Safety-wise, Mexico City and Duhok are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.