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 $1,456 per month in Mexico City vs $1,034 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Mexico City vs $1,522 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,266 per month in Mexico City vs $2,010 in Erbil, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 41% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 9% above the global median, while Erbil is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$940

$22.64 IQD 29.6K

137.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

9.01%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.4

$3.20 IQD 4,189

16.88%

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

$1.62 MX$28.25

$0.48 IQD 630

237.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.31

$0.20 IQD 262

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.4

$1.93 IQD 2,523

67.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.9

$2.14 IQD 2,803

121.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.80

$1.31 IQD 1,719

25.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.15

$0.85 IQD 1,108

223.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.77

$1.86 IQD 2,439

0.54%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.72

$1.98 IQD 2,590

26.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$7.23 IQD 9,474

41.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.72 IQD 6,184

74.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$14.24 IQD 18.7K

-16.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.6

$1.19 IQD 1,563

152.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.67

$1.15 IQD 1,505

57.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.96

$1.15 IQD 1,502

73.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.89

$0.81 IQD 1,057

146.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.45

$0.68 IQD 888

205.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.72

$0.75 IQD 980

202.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.47

$0.73 IQD 952

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.82

$0.57 IQD 742

89.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.0

$2.62 IQD 3,428

66.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$297

$12.19 IQD 16.0K

39.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.31

$1.39 IQD 1,824

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.5

$1.97 IQD 2,579

81.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.77

$0.59 IQD 776

-33.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$327

$35.14 IQD 46.0K

-46.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.18

$2.25 IQD 2,942

-40.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.89

$2.33 IQD 3,052

-87.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.8

$6.75 IQD 8,845

-22.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.37

$0.65 IQD 849

106.15%

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

$19.4K MX$339.4K

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

0.05%

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

$23.8K MX$416.7K

$20.8K IQD 27.3M

14.37%

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

$40.69 MX$712

$102 IQD 133.2K

-59.99%

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

$26.87 MX$470

$17.42 IQD 22.8K

54.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$534

$29.58 IQD 38.7K

3.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$923

$73.8 IQD 96.6K

-28.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$466

$11.55 IQD 15.1K

130.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$11.41 IQD 14.9K

-42.94%

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

$428 MX$7,485

$263 IQD 343.7K

63.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$183.6K

$3,250 IQD 4.3M

223.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,001

$33.46 IQD 43.8K

71.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$796

$49.61 IQD 65.0K

-8.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,819

$81.1 IQD 106.2K

28.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,885

$76.5 IQD 100.2K

40.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$429 IQD 562.2K

133.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$275 IQD 360.3K

126.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.9K

$732 IQD 958.5K

188.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.3K

$495 IQD 647.8K

146.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.9K

$1,130 IQD 1.5M

243.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.5K

$660 IQD 864.4K

207.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$581 IQD 760.9K

78.61%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Erbil: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,003 in Mexico City versus $429 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 79% 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: $292 vs $195 – 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 41%, 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 $2,185 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 50% 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 $1,456. 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.