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 $1,677 per month in Mexico City vs $1,074 in Erbil, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,608 per month in Mexico City vs $1,624 in Erbil, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,540 per month in Mexico City vs $2,173 in Erbil, rent included.

Mexico City costs about 56% more than Erbil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mexico City sits 22% above the global median, while Erbil is 22% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.14 MX$206

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

55.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$914

$43.48 IQD 56.9K

23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 MX$188

$8.20 IQD 10.7K

35.24%

Cappuccino

$4.10 MX$69.5

$3.65 IQD 4,784

12.33%

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

$1.68 MX$28.53

$1.04 IQD 1,362

61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.55

$0.45 IQD 585

208.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.33 MX$56.5

$5.96 IQD 7,810

-44.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 MX$99.7

$4.46 IQD 5,839

31.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 MX$31.41

$1.27 IQD 1,665

45.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.82 IQD 1,073

286.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 MX$35.13

$1.67 IQD 2,187

23.95%

Eggs

$2.93 MX$49.67

$1.85 IQD 2,418

58.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.59 MX$214

$8.38 IQD 11.0K

50.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.11 MX$172

$5.72 IQD 7,485

76.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 MX$273

$14.89 IQD 19.5K

8.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$1.15 IQD 1,502

194.78%

Banana (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.26

$1.16 IQD 1,521

79.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.12 MX$35.97

$1.18 IQD 1,544

79.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.41 MX$40.95

$0.75 IQD 979

221.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.11

$0.76 IQD 997

180.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.02

$0.68 IQD 892

195.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.55 MX$26.21

$0.73 IQD 961

112.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 MX$23.15

$0.58 IQD 764

134.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.77 MX$97.8

$2.52 IQD 3,305

128.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 MX$301

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

44.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 MX$35.11

$1.65 IQD 2,160

25.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$78.3

$2.13 IQD 2,783

116.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 MX$6.21

$0.55 IQD 719

-32.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.18 MX$359

$44.38 IQD 58.1K

-52.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$34.84

$1.96 IQD 2,561

4.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 MX$9.79

$1.82 IQD 2,379

-68.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 MX$103

$6.52 IQD 8,533

-6.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.34

$0.66 IQD 866

134.85%

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

$22.9K MX$388.1K

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

28.30%

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

$27.2K MX$462.0K

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

37.09%

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

$67.4 MX$1,144

$128 IQD 167.5K

-47.30%

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

$30.62 MX$520

$13.86 IQD 18.1K

120.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.24 MX$632

$27.91 IQD 36.6K

33.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 MX$1,043

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

-5.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.12 MX$460

$14.65 IQD 19.2K

85.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.11 MX$121

$11.58 IQD 15.2K

-38.60%

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

$456 MX$7,739

$314 IQD 411.2K

45.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K MX$232.3K

$3,082 IQD 4.0M

344.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.2 MX$1,259

$30.66 IQD 40.2K

141.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.0 MX$967

$45.68 IQD 59.8K

24.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 MX$1,958

$67.9 IQD 89.0K

69.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,061

$68.8 IQD 90.1K

76.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 MX$19.5K

$470 IQD 616.0K

143.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 MX$12.0K

$294 IQD 385.1K

141.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 MX$43.7K

$728 IQD 953.1K

254.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 MX$22.0K

$434 IQD 568.3K

198.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,005 MX$67.9K

$1,096 IQD 1.4M

265.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,130 MX$36.1K

$646 IQD 846.5K

229.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 MX$18.4K

$608 IQD 796.3K

77.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

2.53

346.64%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 6, 2026

Last update for Erbil: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Mexico City versus $470 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 78% 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 $43.00 in Erbil. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $345 vs $205 – 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 56%, 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 $2,515 per month in Mexico City and $1,612 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 68% 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 $43.00 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 $1,074, than in Mexico City at $1,677. 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.