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: $750 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,484 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah versus $2,381 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah versus $3,278 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 44% below, Mexico City is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,895

$12.98 MX$227

-59.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$53.1 MX$929

-49.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,182

$9.72 MX$170

-27.88%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$3.75 MX$65.6

-29.60%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$1.57 MX$27.46

-75.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$1.13 MX$19.76

-81.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,714

$3.18 MX$55.7

-34.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,550

$4.66 MX$81.6

-41.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.62 MX$28.37

-12.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$2.71 MX$47.36

-62.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,109

$1.88 MX$32.89

-14.36%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,329

$2.51 MX$43.90

-29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,998

$10.08 MX$176

-39.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,667

$8.29 MX$145

-57.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$11.94 MX$209

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$2.86 MX$50.1

-59.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,694

$1.75 MX$30.62

-26.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$2.08 MX$36.48

-38.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$1.97 MX$34.46

-62.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$2.16 MX$37.79

-71.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$2.18 MX$38.16

-69.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$1.39 MX$24.34

-57.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$1.12 MX$19.69

-59.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,536

$4.20 MX$73.5

-53.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$14.25 MX$249

-18.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,975

$1.76 MX$30.85

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$3.68 MX$64.5

-50.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.39 MX$6.74

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$18.66 MX$327

24.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$1.39 MX$24.26

69.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$0.30 MX$5.32

676.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,150

$5.42 MX$94.9

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,006

$1.35 MX$23.63

-42.96%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$18.9K MX$330.5K

7.57%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$23.2K MX$405.2K

-11.18%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.4K

$40.82 MX$714

87.65%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$27.50 MX$481

-38.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$30.38 MX$532

-13.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$53.4 MX$935

-25.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$26.30 MX$460

-35.67%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,788

$6.27 MX$110

19.14%

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

$151 IQD 198.4K

$436 MX$7,632

-65.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$10.5K MX$183.2K

-66.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$56.8 MX$993

-58.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$44.79 MX$784

-44.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$103 MX$1,799

-57.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$108 MX$1,888

-66.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$1,000 MX$17.5K

-75.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.4K

$620 MX$10.9K

-71.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.7K

$2,137 MX$37.4K

-73.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.4K

$1,235 MX$21.6K

-72.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$3,865 MX$67.6K

-79.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.5K

$2,332 MX$40.8K

-75.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.7K

$1,067 MX$18.7K

-45.67%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $240 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,000 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 84% 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 $184 vs $286 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 98% in total monthly costs ($750 vs $1,484 including rent). Sulaymaniyah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 84% 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: $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,000 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 24% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $151 in Sulaymaniyah versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $750 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,484 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 98% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.