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: $1,660 in Mexico City versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,565 in Mexico City versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,470 in Mexico City versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 159% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 21% above, Mashhad is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.92 MX$204

$4.67 IQD 6,120

155.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$51.6 MX$885

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

51.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.41 MX$196

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

49.15%

Cappuccino

$3.99 MX$68.5

$3.08 IQD 4,035

29.55%

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

$1.66 MX$28.45

$0.40 IQD 519

315.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 MX$22.74

$0.24 IQD 312

454.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.47 MX$59.5

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 MX$101

$3.89 IQD 5,088

51.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 MX$32.18

$1.05 IQD 1,371

79.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 MX$55.8

$0.82 IQD 1,076

296.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 MX$37.05

$1.58 IQD 2,067

36.71%

Eggs

$2.90 MX$49.66

$0.81 IQD 1,063

258.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 MX$220

$3.80 IQD 4,981

238.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.05 MX$172

$2.04 IQD 2,676

392.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 MX$272

$2.92 IQD 3,820

443.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 MX$56.5

$1.01 IQD 1,325

225.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.40

$1.12 IQD 1,467

79.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.98 IQD 1,281

124.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.40

$0.68 IQD 889

247.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.23

$0.67 IQD 873

205.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.60

$0.64 IQD 837

196.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 MX$27.52

$0.31 IQD 407

419.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 MX$23.95

$0.21 IQD 274

566.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.46 MX$93.7

$0.76 IQD 996

618.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.65 MX$303

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$35.24

$2.14 IQD 2,799

-3.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.68 MX$80.3

$2.26 IQD 2,954

107.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 MX$5.80

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.81 MX$357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.10 MX$35.95

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-6.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.59

$1.51 IQD 1,979

-62.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.81 MX$99.7

$7.52 IQD 9,851

-22.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.61 MX$27.53

$0.65 IQD 857

147.69%

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

$22.8K MX$391.6K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

20.67%

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

$26.8K MX$458.6K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

41.43%

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

$65.2 MX$1,117

$215 IQD 281.7K

-69.70%

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

$30.09 MX$516

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

41.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.18 MX$637

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-12.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 MX$1,024

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 MX$455

Cinema Ticket

$7.04 MX$121

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-33.58%

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

$465 MX$7,967

$165 IQD 216.6K

180.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K MX$227.6K

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

277.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.9 MX$1,301

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

155.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.0 MX$959

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

46.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 MX$1,918

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

50.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 MX$2,066

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

159.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,103 MX$18.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 MX$12.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,530 MX$43.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,293 MX$22.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,991 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,090 MX$35.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 MX$17.8K

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 14, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $34.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 vs $127 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 159% in total monthly costs ($1,660 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,489 in Mexico City and $960 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.

Childcare runs $465 in Mexico City versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $52.0 in Mexico City. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,660 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 159% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.