Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between 'aqrah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $733 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,160 per month in 'aqrah vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,588 per month in 'aqrah vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

'aqrah is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both 'aqrah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – 'aqrah 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.13 IQD 5,405

$11.73 MX$203

-64.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.33 IQD 33.2K

$41.62 MX$720

-39.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,082

$10.64 MX$184

-34.77%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,354

$3.52 MX$60.9

-27.27%

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

$0.36 IQD 478

$1.51 MX$26.12

-76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 270

$0.97 MX$16.84

-78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 IQD 3,746

$2.95 MX$51.0

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 IQD 3,656

$4.45 MX$77.0

-37.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,783

$1.38 MX$23.93

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,099

$1.89 MX$32.72

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,096

$1.64 MX$28.32

-2.44%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,372

$2.51 MX$43.34

-27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,736

$8.34 MX$144

-47.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 IQD 6,201

$8.34 MX$144

-43.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

$10.73 MX$186

23.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$2.60 MX$45.04

-56.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,507

$1.46 MX$25.20

-21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,379

$1.90 MX$32.87

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 906

$2.08 MX$35.91

-66.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$1.78 MX$30.71

-61.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$2.19 MX$37.80

-68.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 877

$1.04 MX$17.99

-35.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 675

$1.08 MX$18.62

-51.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,466

$4.08 MX$70.6

-53.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,352

$1.71 MX$29.61

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,838

$2.58 MX$44.54

-15.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.51 MX$8.81

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$26.46 MX$458

17.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.28 IQD 2,988

$3.26 MX$56.4

-30.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$2.49 MX$43.09

-38.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.14 IQD 8,041

$3.25 MX$56.2

88.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 706

$1.31 MX$22.61

-58.78%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-36.56%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-16.52%

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

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-6.94%

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

$17.98 IQD 23.5K

$22.22 MX$384

-19.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

$29.34 MX$507

19.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

$51.6 MX$893

-30.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

$18.32 MX$317

-8.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

$5.07 MX$87.6

53.06%

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

$154 IQD 202.1K

$201 MX$3,473

-23.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-37.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

$36.92 MX$639

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

$39.79 MX$688

-35.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-21.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.75 IQD 54.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.5K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.7K

$468 MX$8,090

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.1K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-71.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

11.42

-50.35%

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

Last update for 'aqrah: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in 'aqrah versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in 'aqrah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $158 vs $249 – making 'aqrah the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

'aqrah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,099 per month in 'aqrah and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $733 in 'aqrah and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $733, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $733 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with 'aqrah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.