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 $739 per month in 'aqrah vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,157 per month in 'aqrah vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,575 per month in 'aqrah vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

'aqrah is about 41% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 IQD 5,454

$11.99 MX$210

-65.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.73 IQD 32.4K

$41.78 MX$733

-40.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 IQD 8,791

$10.75 MX$189

-37.58%

Cappuccino

$2.54 IQD 3,331

$3.50 MX$61.3

-27.43%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$1.45 MX$25.41

-73.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 240

$0.88 MX$15.52

-79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 IQD 3,792

$2.95 MX$51.7

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,783

$4.51 MX$79.1

-35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,776

$1.43 MX$25.12

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.80 IQD 1,044

$1.84 MX$32.23

-56.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,171

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.73%

Eggs

$1.79 IQD 2,340

$2.51 MX$44.06

-28.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,941

$8.28 MX$145

-45.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.58 IQD 6,000

$8.43 MX$148

-45.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 IQD 17.2K

$10.68 MX$187

22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,566

$2.61 MX$45.76

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,565

$1.44 MX$25.22

-17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,330

$1.96 MX$34.41

-47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 900

$2.09 MX$36.74

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 853

$1.85 MX$32.47

-64.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 868

$2.17 MX$38.02

-69.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 IQD 834

$1.03 MX$18.09

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 729

$1.07 MX$18.84

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,554

$4.10 MX$72.0

-52.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,406

$1.68 MX$29.38

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,842

$2.53 MX$44.31

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 478

$0.51 MX$8.93

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

$26.04 MX$457

19.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,035

$3.23 MX$56.7

-28.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,929

$2.41 MX$42.19

-39.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 IQD 7,748

$3.23 MX$56.6

83.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 750

$1.32 MX$23.17

-56.82%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-35.38%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-14.34%

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

$76.5 IQD 100.1K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-6.74%

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

$17.72 IQD 23.2K

$22.95 MX$403

-22.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.91 IQD 45.7K

$30.11 MX$528

15.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.87 IQD 48.3K

$52.0 MX$912

-29.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

$18.53 MX$325

-7.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

$4.98 MX$87.3

57.83%

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

$153 IQD 200.3K

$197 MX$3,463

-22.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-38.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

$35.60 MX$624

-25.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

$40.33 MX$707

-36.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-23.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-54.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 317.0K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.4K

$474 MX$8,314

-62.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$578 IQD 756.8K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-72.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in 'aqrah versus $947 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 70% 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 $1,109 per month in 'aqrah and $1,884 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 $739 in 'aqrah and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% 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 $739, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $739 versus $1,256 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.