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: $1,447 in Mexico City versus $744 in Sulaymaniyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,310 in Mexico City versus $1,167 in Sulaymaniyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,174 in Mexico City versus $1,591 in Sulaymaniyah.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 94% more expensive than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mexico City is 8% above, Sulaymaniyah is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.98 MX$223

$5.32 IQD 6,971

143.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.6 MX$903

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

94.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 MX$162

$6.90 IQD 9,040

36.67%

Cappuccino

$3.57 MX$61.3

$2.56 IQD 3,349

39.45%

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

$1.61 MX$27.55

$0.37 IQD 482

335.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$19.81

$0.21 IQD 277

447.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.15 MX$54.0

$2.05 IQD 2,683

53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.86 MX$83.4

$2.64 IQD 3,454

84.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 MX$29.17

$1.42 IQD 1,862

19.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.64 MX$45.23

$0.98 IQD 1,277

169.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.67

$1.66 IQD 2,172

14.46%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$43.62

$1.76 IQD 2,299

44.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 MX$173

$5.80 IQD 7,598

73.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$142

$3.44 IQD 4,501

140.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.57 MX$199

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

-19.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 MX$52.0

$1.23 IQD 1,607

146.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.35

$1.25 IQD 1,634

36.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 MX$35.16

$1.26 IQD 1,645

62.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.36

$0.70 IQD 921

194.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.06 MX$35.43

$0.63 IQD 821

226.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.25

$0.64 IQD 844

239.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 MX$24.08

$0.54 IQD 711

159.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$19.26

$0.45 IQD 591

148.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$73.7

$1.89 IQD 2,470

126.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 MX$265

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

31.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.74

$1.58 IQD 2,072

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 MX$63.3

$1.74 IQD 2,272

112.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 MX$6.55

$0.55 IQD 724

-30.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.06 MX$327

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

-16.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 MX$23.70

$2.25 IQD 2,949

-38.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.74

$2.24 IQD 2,929

-87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 MX$92.9

$5.37 IQD 7,033

0.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 MX$21.98

$0.75 IQD 985

70.67%

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

$19.0K MX$325.8K

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

-8.36%

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

$23.5K MX$402.7K

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

13.68%

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

$41.02 MX$704

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

-45.98%

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

$26.92 MX$462

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

64.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 MX$510

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

14.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.3 MX$898

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

31.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.23 MX$450

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

55.12%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 MX$106

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

-21.27%

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

$427 MX$7,331

$154 IQD 201.3K

177.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K MX$183.6K

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

202.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.8 MX$975

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

135.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.83 MX$769

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

79.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 MX$1,794

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

143.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 MX$1,819

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

196.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 MX$17.1K

$237 IQD 310.3K

319.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$621 MX$10.7K

$181 IQD 236.9K

243.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 MX$36.5K

$569 IQD 744.6K

273.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,254 MX$21.5K

$344 IQD 450.5K

264.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,903 MX$67.0K

$805 IQD 1.1M

384.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,096 MX$36.0K

$587 IQD 768.2K

257.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,107 MX$19.0K

$562 IQD 735.6K

97.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

26.00%

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

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Mexico City and $237 in Sulaymaniyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 97% 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: $53.0 in Mexico City vs $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $183 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 94% in total monthly costs ($1,447 vs $744 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Mexico City pays 97% 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: $995 in Mexico City versus $237 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 20% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $427 in Mexico City versus $154 in Sulaymaniyah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,447 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 94% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.