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: $1,467 in Mexico City versus $624 in Mosul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Mexico City versus $1,003 in Mosul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,274 in Mexico City versus $1,383 in Mosul.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 135% more expensive than Mosul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 10% above, Mosul is 53% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.18 MX$228

$3.48 IQD 4,562

278.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 MX$934

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

184.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.42 MX$163

$6.18 IQD 8,090

52.43%

Cappuccino

$3.55 MX$61.5

$1.61 IQD 2,111

120.50%

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

$1.62 MX$28.03

$0.40 IQD 525

305.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 MX$19.31

$0.22 IQD 283

404.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.12 MX$54.1

$1.55 IQD 2,034

101.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 MX$80.2

$1.56 IQD 2,037

196.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.48

$0.94 IQD 1,230

80.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.10

$0.82 IQD 1,079

231.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.13

$1.28 IQD 1,682

49.22%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.94

$1.53 IQD 2,000

66.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.03 MX$174

$3.48 IQD 4,554

188.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.09 MX$140

$3.80 IQD 4,979

112.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 MX$201

$11.78 IQD 15.4K

-1.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.97 MX$51.4

$0.68 IQD 887

336.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.30

$1.07 IQD 1,406

69.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.88

$0.68 IQD 888

195.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 MX$35.26

$0.46 IQD 603

341.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$36.82

$0.45 IQD 590

371.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.32

$0.58 IQD 753

291.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.26

$0.44 IQD 580

218.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 MX$19.59

$0.52 IQD 687

117.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$1.96 IQD 2,567

117.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 MX$270

$7.53 IQD 9,859

106.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 MX$30.44

$1.43 IQD 1,873

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 MX$62.3

$1.88 IQD 2,462

91.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.64

$0.36 IQD 473

5.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.18 MX$332

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

-74.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.84

$1.56 IQD 2,042

-11.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.79

$1.47 IQD 1,922

-80.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$94.4

$4.62 IQD 6,049

17.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 MX$22.60

$0.58 IQD 754

124.14%

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

$18.7K MX$323.8K

$17.3K IQD 22.7M

7.99%

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

$23.1K MX$400.8K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

13.32%

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

$40.86 MX$708

$102 IQD 133.3K

-59.86%

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

$26.81 MX$465

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

72.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.96 MX$519

$29.70 IQD 38.9K

0.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$901

$22.60 IQD 29.6K

130.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.84 MX$465

$21.89 IQD 28.7K

22.61%

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 MX$109

$9.45 IQD 12.4K

-33.33%

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

$436 MX$7,558

$176 IQD 230.2K

148.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K MX$180.5K

$3,283 IQD 4.3M

217.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 MX$982

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

271.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.38 MX$769

$19.50 IQD 25.5K

127.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 MX$1,784

$26.76 IQD 35.0K

284.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,829

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

313.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,022 MX$17.7K

$152 IQD 198.9K

572.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 MX$10.9K

$87.8 IQD 114.9K

618.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,136 MX$37.0K

$265 IQD 347.3K

705.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 MX$21.5K

$286 IQD 374.3K

334.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.6K

$814 IQD 1.1M

379.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 MX$35.8K

$925 IQD 1.2M

123.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,115 MX$19.3K

$475 IQD 621.9K

134.78%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Mosul: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,022 in Mexico City and $152 in Mosul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 135% 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 $288 vs $145 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 135% in total monthly costs ($1,467 vs $624 including rent). Mosul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 135% more on average, 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: $1,022 in Mexico City versus $152 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 295% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $436 in Mexico City versus $176 in Mosul. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $624 in Mosul versus $1,467 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 135% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.