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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,682 in Mexico City versus $759 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,599 in Mexico City versus $1,194 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,516 in Mexico City versus $1,629 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 122% more expensive than in Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 23% above, Sulaymaniyah is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.83 MX$200

$4.61 IQD 6,031

156.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 MX$884

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

131.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.87 MX$184

$6.95 IQD 9,096

56.40%

Cappuccino

$4.03 MX$68.2

$2.36 IQD 3,091

70.76%

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

$1.71 MX$28.99

$0.46 IQD 603

271.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.23 IQD 302

482.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.39 MX$57.5

$4.55 IQD 5,952

-25.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 MX$97.3

$2.32 IQD 3,044

147.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 MX$31.99

$1.36 IQD 1,780

38.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 MX$53.8

$0.97 IQD 1,265

226.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.74

$1.91 IQD 2,507

7.33%

Eggs

$3.01 MX$51.1

$1.74 IQD 2,276

72.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 MX$214

$5.04 IQD 6,595

150.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.94 MX$169

$3.44 IQD 4,504

188.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.00 MX$271

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

3.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 MX$55.6

$1.33 IQD 1,741

146.62%

Banana (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.87

$1.25 IQD 1,642

64.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.36

$1.15 IQD 1,512

81.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.44

$0.70 IQD 920

257.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 MX$34.76

$0.58 IQD 763

253.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 MX$31.70

$0.74 IQD 966

152.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$26.66

$0.71 IQD 933

121.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 MX$23.64

$0.53 IQD 697

162.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 MX$91.2

$2.37 IQD 3,100

127.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.95 MX$304

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.31

$1.92 IQD 2,519

5.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 MX$80.7

$1.74 IQD 2,284

173.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 MX$6.13

$0.56 IQD 728

-35.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.80 MX$353

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

-8.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 MX$34.92

$2.26 IQD 2,953

-8.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.56 MX$9.55

$2.24 IQD 2,932

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.82 MX$98.6

$5.20 IQD 6,808

11.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.05

$0.65 IQD 856

136.92%

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

$22.5K MX$380.6K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

7.98%

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

$26.5K MX$448.7K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

38.07%

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

$66.0 MX$1,118

$102 IQD 133.2K

-35.16%

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

$30.98 MX$525

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

191.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.20 MX$613

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

27.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.5 MX$975

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

61.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.75 MX$453

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

33.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 MX$121

$7.48 IQD 9,793

-4.68%

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

$457 MX$7,738

$176 IQD 230.6K

159.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K MX$224.5K

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

359.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 MX$1,285

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

302.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 MX$917

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

109.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 MX$1,974

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

166.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 MX$2,063

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

213.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 MX$19.4K

$228 IQD 298.0K

404.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$726 MX$12.3K

$176 IQD 230.2K

312.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 MX$42.4K

$514 IQD 672.5K

387.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,331 MX$22.6K

$361 IQD 472.4K

268.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,895 MX$66.0K

$827 IQD 1.1M

371.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,149 MX$36.4K

$565 IQD 740.2K

280.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$571 IQD 747.4K

87.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.35

5.77

96.71%

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

Last update for Mexico City: August 17, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Mexico City and $228 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 87% 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: $52.0 in Mexico City vs $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $188 per month, with Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Sulaymaniyah differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,682 vs $759 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% 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: $1,147 in Mexico City versus $228 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sulaymaniyah runs roughly 9% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Mexico City versus $176 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $759 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,682 in Mexico City, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Sulaymaniyah but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.