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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $859 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,281 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,703 in Mashhad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 70% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Mashhad is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$5.50 IQD 7,205

137.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$35.68 IQD 46.7K

50.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$7.48 IQD 9,799

29.41%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$2.98 IQD 3,900

25.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.39 IQD 512

315.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.22 IQD 284

427.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.38 IQD 4,423

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$2.94 IQD 3,849

61.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.32 IQD 1,735

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.83 IQD 1,081

231.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.60 IQD 2,101

16.88%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$0.87 IQD 1,134

187.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$4.39 IQD 5,747

132.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$2.03 IQD 2,657

306.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$3.03 IQD 3,966

290.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.97 IQD 1,275

210.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.17 IQD 1,528

54.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$1.01 IQD 1,324

98.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.72 IQD 947

177.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.70 IQD 913

197.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.68 IQD 893

233.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.29 IQD 376

403.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.17 IQD 228

535.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$0.77 IQD 1,013

464.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

25.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.83 IQD 2,393

-5.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$2.10 IQD 2,748

70.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.37 IQD 484

5.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

-40.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$3.91 IQD 5,114

-65.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.54 IQD 2,018

-81.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$7.52 IQD 9,848

-30.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.57 IQD 747

135.09%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

-4.74%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

21.51%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$177 IQD 232.4K

-77.07%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$26.31 IQD 34.5K

2.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

-23.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$36.85 IQD 48.3K

43.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$16.48 IQD 21.6K

61.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$7.62 IQD 9,977

-14.57%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$166 IQD 216.8K

158.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,570 IQD 4.7M

194.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$28.86 IQD 37.8K

98.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$31.13 IQD 40.8K

46.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

59.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$42.92 IQD 56.2K

151.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$247 IQD 322.8K

307.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$181 IQD 236.6K

244.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$584 IQD 764.5K

261.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$341 IQD 447.0K

256.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

5.67

100.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $247 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $36.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $130 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Mashhad differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $859 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,185 in Mexico City and $1,289 in Mashhad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $247 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 124% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Mashhad versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.