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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,668 in Mexico City versus $632 in Kirkuk.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,613 in Mexico City versus $991 in Kirkuk.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,557 in Mexico City versus $1,350 in Kirkuk.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 164% more expensive than in Kirkuk, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 24% above, Kirkuk is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.03 MX$213

$4.11 IQD 5,377

192.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.8 MX$934

$26.30 IQD 34.4K

100.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.69 MX$207

$6.07 IQD 7,944

92.59%

Cappuccino

$3.87 MX$68.4

$2.48 IQD 3,242

56.05%

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

$1.75 MX$30.94

$0.37 IQD 480

372.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$24.65

$0.23 IQD 299

504.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 MX$59.4

$3.76 IQD 4,919

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 MX$102

$3.93 IQD 5,143

46.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 MX$31.92

$1.08 IQD 1,412

67.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 MX$54.5

$0.69 IQD 904

346.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.65

$1.47 IQD 1,922

44.90%

Eggs

$2.98 MX$52.6

$1.53 IQD 1,998

94.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.53 MX$221

$3.91 IQD 5,117

220.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.24 MX$181

$3.71 IQD 4,862

176.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.92 MX$281

$12.94 IQD 16.9K

23.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 MX$59.8

$0.83 IQD 1,092

308.43%

Banana (1kg)

$2.11 MX$37.24

$0.92 IQD 1,207

129.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$37.59

$0.94 IQD 1,232

126.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.47 MX$43.61

$0.70 IQD 915

252.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 MX$36.03

$0.55 IQD 714

270.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.59

$0.59 IQD 769

240.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 MX$28.15

$0.61 IQD 800

160.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$23.50

$0.35 IQD 453

280.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.49 MX$97.0

$1.80 IQD 2,357

205.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.52 MX$310

$13.53 IQD 17.7K

29.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 MX$35.61

$1.56 IQD 2,038

28.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.8

$1.89 IQD 2,472

150.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.94

$0.39 IQD 512

-12.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.07 MX$373

$22.85 IQD 29.9K

-7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 MX$36.28

$2.31 IQD 3,026

-11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 MX$10.75

$1.56 IQD 2,041

-60.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 MX$101

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-26.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$28.09

$0.57 IQD 745

178.95%

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

$22.9K MX$404.6K

$19.3K IQD 25.3M

18.58%

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

$26.4K MX$466.2K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

39.32%

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

$64.2 MX$1,135

$54.3 IQD 71.0K

18.41%

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

$29.42 MX$520

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

39.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.83 MX$651

$41.77 IQD 54.7K

-11.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.7 MX$1,038

$11.51 IQD 15.1K

410.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.54 MX$469

Cinema Ticket

$6.95 MX$123

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

-34.62%

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

$463 MX$8,180

$165 IQD 216.3K

180.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K MX$236.2K

$3,442 IQD 4.5M

288.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.4 MX$1,333

$29.62 IQD 38.8K

154.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 MX$958

$19.30 IQD 25.3K

180.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 MX$1,965

$75.2 IQD 98.4K

47.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,160

$33.99 IQD 44.5K

259.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 MX$20.0K

$195 IQD 254.8K

482.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 MX$12.3K

$91.3 IQD 119.6K

664.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,442 MX$43.2K

$226 IQD 295.5K

981.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,303 MX$23.0K

$225 IQD 294.0K

480.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,910 MX$69.1K

$579 IQD 758.1K

575.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,069 MX$36.6K

$307 IQD 401.6K

574.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,052 MX$18.6K

$439 IQD 574.6K

139.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

4.12

174.27%

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

Last update for Mexico City: September 21, 2026

Last update for Kirkuk: September 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Mexico City and $195 in Kirkuk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 140% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $26.00 in Kirkuk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 vs $164 per month, with Kirkuk 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 Kirkuk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kirkuk is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 140% 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: $1,133 in Mexico City versus $195 in Kirkuk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $463 in Mexico City versus $165 in Kirkuk. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 110% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $632 in Kirkuk versus $1,668 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kirkuk but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Kirkuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kirkuk is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mexico City, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Kirkuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.