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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $632 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $1,006 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $1,380 in Mosul.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 130% more expensive than in Mosul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 9% above, Mosul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$229

$3.47 IQD 4,547

276.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$943

$19.46 IQD 25.5K

176.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$170

$6.08 IQD 7,956

59.21%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.6

$1.61 IQD 2,109

132.30%

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

$1.62 MX$28.34

$0.40 IQD 528

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.37

$0.21 IQD 278

452.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$1.55 IQD 2,033

108.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$83.1

$1.50 IQD 1,964

216.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.89

$1.01 IQD 1,319

63.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$48.30

$0.82 IQD 1,073

235.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.87

$1.29 IQD 1,690

44.96%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.86

$1.59 IQD 2,076

57.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$179

$3.56 IQD 4,665

186.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$145

$3.94 IQD 5,165

109.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$207

$11.69 IQD 15.3K

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.8

$0.73 IQD 953

312.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.77

$1.06 IQD 1,389

70.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.07

$0.72 IQD 942

177.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$35.00

$0.47 IQD 611

325.53%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.56

$0.45 IQD 592

362.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.85

$0.58 IQD 760

291.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.55

$0.48 IQD 622

204.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.88

$0.52 IQD 676

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$76.3

$1.93 IQD 2,523

125.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$298

$7.60 IQD 9,958

123.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.40

$1.40 IQD 1,831

23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.7

$1.88 IQD 2,461

90.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.79

$0.36 IQD 477

8.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$328

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

-75.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.25

$1.49 IQD 1,949

-10.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.91

$1.47 IQD 1,927

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$92.1

$4.48 IQD 5,864

17.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.44

$0.52 IQD 686

157.69%

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

$19.4K MX$340.5K

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

11.09%

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

$23.8K MX$418.0K

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

17.64%

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

$40.69 MX$714

$100 IQD 131.1K

-59.37%

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

$26.87 MX$471

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

78.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$535

$29.61 IQD 38.8K

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$926

$22.10 IQD 28.9K

138.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$467

$21.90 IQD 28.7K

21.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$114

$9.68 IQD 12.7K

-32.75%

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

$428 MX$7,508

$180 IQD 236.3K

137.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$184.2K

$3,281 IQD 4.3M

220.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$1,004

$15.26 IQD 20.0K

275.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$798

$19.43 IQD 25.4K

134.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,825

$26.54 IQD 34.7K

292.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,891

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

322.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.6K

$150 IQD 196.2K

569.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.9K

$87.6 IQD 114.7K

611.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$37.0K

$267 IQD 349.3K

690.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.4K

$282 IQD 368.8K

332.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$68.1K

$792 IQD 1.0M

390.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.7K

$913 IQD 1.2M

122.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.2K

$489 IQD 640.2K

112.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

14.33

-20.87%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Mosul: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $150 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 112% 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: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $19.00 in Mosul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $147 per month, with Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Mosul differ by about 130% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $632 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 112% 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: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $150 in Mosul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Mosul runs roughly 310% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $180 in Mosul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $632 in Mosul versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mosul but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Mosul 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.

Expats usually find Mosul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 130% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.