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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $842 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,280 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,718 in Mashhad.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 74% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Mashhad is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$5.22 IQD 6,839

152.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$932

$35.92 IQD 47.0K

50.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$7.60 IQD 9,956

23.95%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.4

$3.08 IQD 4,038

15.26%

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

$1.62 MX$27.98

$0.36 IQD 474

350.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.27

$0.17 IQD 225

552.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.0

$3.48 IQD 4,554

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.1

$2.83 IQD 3,704

63.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.43

$1.36 IQD 1,777

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.02

$0.79 IQD 1,035

244.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.07

$1.67 IQD 2,180

14.37%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.86

$0.87 IQD 1,143

191.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$4.39 IQD 5,750

128.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$2.01 IQD 2,636

302.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$2.94 IQD 3,848

295.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.3

$0.98 IQD 1,284

203.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.24

$1.16 IQD 1,519

56.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.82

$0.97 IQD 1,274

107.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.20

$0.67 IQD 882

202.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.75

$0.65 IQD 854

226.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.25

$0.63 IQD 830

260.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.22

$0.31 IQD 411

351.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.55

$0.23 IQD 296

391.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$73.9

$0.78 IQD 1,028

447.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$269

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.39

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.2

$2.16 IQD 2,834

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.62

$0.36 IQD 477

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

-38.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.79

$3.85 IQD 5,045

-64.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.78

$1.47 IQD 1,928

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.2

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-29.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.55

$0.53 IQD 699

145.28%

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

$18.7K MX$323.2K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

-5.56%

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

$23.1K MX$400.1K

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

14.71%

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

$40.86 MX$707

$176 IQD 230.6K

-76.80%

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

$26.81 MX$464

$25.50 IQD 33.4K

5.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$518

$40.29 IQD 52.8K

-25.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$900

$36.45 IQD 47.7K

42.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$464

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

61.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-18.29%

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

$436 MX$7,544

$166 IQD 216.9K

163.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.2K

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

195.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$980

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

97.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$768

$30.05 IQD 39.3K

47.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,780

$64.2 IQD 84.0K

60.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,825

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

143.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$241 IQD 315.7K

323.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$180 IQD 236.0K

250.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$36.9K

$589 IQD 770.9K

262.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$341 IQD 446.7K

264.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $241 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 $288 vs $131 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 74% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $842 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,201 in Mexico City and $1,263 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $241 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $436 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 121% higher in Mexico City. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $842 in Mashhad versus $1,467 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 74% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.