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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,447 in Mexico City.

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

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

Living in Sulaymaniyah costs roughly 49% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 IQD 6,971

$12.98 MX$223

-59.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.03 IQD 35.4K

$52.6 MX$903

-48.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.90 IQD 9,040

$9.43 MX$162

-26.83%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,349

$3.57 MX$61.3

-28.29%

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

$0.37 IQD 482

$1.61 MX$27.55

-77.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 277

$1.15 MX$19.81

-81.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 IQD 2,683

$3.15 MX$54.0

-34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 IQD 3,454

$4.86 MX$83.4

-45.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 IQD 1,862

$1.70 MX$29.17

-16.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 IQD 1,277

$2.64 MX$45.23

-62.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,172

$1.90 MX$32.67

-12.63%

Eggs

$1.76 IQD 2,299

$2.54 MX$43.62

-30.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 IQD 7,598

$10.08 MX$173

-42.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,501

$8.29 MX$142

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.30 IQD 18.7K

$11.57 MX$199

23.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$3.03 MX$52.0

-59.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,634

$1.71 MX$29.35

-26.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.26 IQD 1,645

$2.05 MX$35.16

-38.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 921

$2.06 MX$35.36

-66.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 821

$2.06 MX$35.43

-69.42%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 844

$2.17 MX$37.25

-70.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 IQD 711

$1.40 MX$24.08

-61.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 591

$1.12 MX$19.26

-59.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,470

$4.29 MX$73.7

-55.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.68 IQD 15.3K

$15.41 MX$265

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 IQD 2,072

$1.67 MX$28.74

-5.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,272

$3.69 MX$63.3

-52.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 724

$0.38 MX$6.55

44.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.87 IQD 29.9K

$19.06 MX$327

19.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,949

$1.38 MX$23.70

63.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,929

$0.28 MX$4.74

700.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 IQD 7,033

$5.42 MX$92.9

-0.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 IQD 985

$1.28 MX$21.98

-41.41%

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

$20.7K IQD 27.1M

$19.0K MX$325.8K

9.13%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$23.5K MX$402.7K

-12.03%

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

$75.9 IQD 99.4K

$41.02 MX$704

85.13%

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

$16.34 IQD 21.4K

$26.92 MX$462

-39.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$29.69 MX$510

-12.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.68 IQD 52.0K

$52.3 MX$898

-24.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$26.23 MX$450

-35.53%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$6.18 MX$106

27.02%

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

$154 IQD 201.3K

$427 MX$7,331

-64.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,539 IQD 4.6M

$10.7K MX$183.6K

-66.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.16 IQD 31.6K

$56.8 MX$975

-57.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.00 IQD 32.7K

$44.83 MX$769

-44.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.01 IQD 56.3K

$105 MX$1,794

-58.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.77 IQD 46.8K

$106 MX$1,819

-66.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 IQD 310.3K

$995 MX$17.1K

-76.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.9K

$621 MX$10.7K

-70.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 744.6K

$2,126 MX$36.5K

-73.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.5K

$1,254 MX$21.5K

-72.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$805 IQD 1.1M

$3,903 MX$67.0K

-79.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$587 IQD 768.2K

$2,096 MX$36.0K

-72.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$562 IQD 735.6K

$1,107 MX$19.0K

-49.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

-20.63%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $237 in Sulaymaniyah and $995 in Mexico City. 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: $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah vs $53.0 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $288 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

Sulaymaniyah vs Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sulaymaniyah and Mexico City differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($744 vs $1,447 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 97% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $237 in Sulaymaniyah versus $995 in Mexico City. 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 $154 in Sulaymaniyah versus $427 in Mexico City. 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, Sulaymaniyah and Mexico City 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.