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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,467 per month in Mexico City vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,371 per month in Mexico City vs $1,548 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Mexico City vs $2,061 in Erbil, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 42% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 10% above the global median, while Erbil is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

70.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$22.83 IQD 29.9K

136.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$8.98 IQD 11.8K

4.90%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.13 IQD 4,096

13.42%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.49 IQD 640

230.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.20 IQD 261

455.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.00 IQD 2,624

56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.14 IQD 2,797

116.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.32 IQD 1,730

28.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.84 IQD 1,103

223.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.80 IQD 2,355

6.11%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$1.98 IQD 2,599

28.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$7.54 IQD 9,879

33.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.80 IQD 6,282

68.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$14.29 IQD 18.7K

-18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$1.14 IQD 1,491

160.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.20 IQD 1,567

50.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$1.19 IQD 1,561

68.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.76 IQD 994

167.11%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.70 IQD 918

202.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.72 IQD 938

215.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.78 IQD 1,018

79.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.53 IQD 688

113.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$2.63 IQD 3,449

62.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$12.55 IQD 16.4K

23.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.45 IQD 1,899

21.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.01 IQD 2,633

79.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.54 IQD 709

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$34.09 IQD 44.6K

-43.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$2.35 IQD 3,084

-41.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$2.20 IQD 2,885

-87.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$6.87 IQD 8,999

-20.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.70 IQD 911

85.71%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

-2.17%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

11.79%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$102 IQD 134.1K

-60.11%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$17.93 IQD 23.5K

49.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$29.33 IQD 38.4K

2.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$72.7 IQD 95.2K

-28.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$11.77 IQD 15.4K

128.04%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-45.78%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$269 IQD 352.1K

62.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,278 IQD 4.3M

217.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$32.74 IQD 42.9K

73.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$48.36 IQD 63.3K

-8.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$81.0 IQD 106.0K

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$76.8 IQD 100.5K

37.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$426 IQD 557.6K

140.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$278 IQD 364.4K

126.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$726 IQD 951.1K

194.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$485 IQD 635.3K

156.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

$1,123 IQD 1.5M

247.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

$658 IQD 862.2K

213.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$584 IQD 765.0K

90.88%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Erbil: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,022 in Mexico City versus $426 in Erbil. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 91% higher in Mexico City, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City versus $23.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $197 – making Erbil the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Erbil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mexico City is pricier by about 42%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,201 per month in Mexico City and $1,551 in Erbil. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Erbil, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Mexico City, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Mexico City and $23.00 in Erbil. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Erbil, where all-in costs run around $1,034, than in Mexico City at $1,467. In Erbil it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mexico City it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Erbil – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Erbil. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mexico City makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.