Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-'amarah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $671 per month in Al-'amarah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,086 per month in Al-'amarah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,501 per month in Al-'amarah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-'amarah is about 47% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-'amarah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-'amarah 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 IQD 5,267

$11.87 MX$204

-66.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.90 IQD 32.6K

$42.90 MX$736

-41.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$10.65 MX$183

-34.08%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,401

$3.45 MX$59.2

-24.64%

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

$0.40 IQD 521

$1.50 MX$25.81

-73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 255

$0.95 MX$16.28

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 IQD 3,736

$3.03 MX$51.9

-5.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,779

$4.61 MX$79.1

-37.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$1.38 MX$23.61

31.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,030

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,462

$1.61 MX$27.65

-30.43%

Eggs

$1.55 IQD 2,027

$2.59 MX$44.51

-40.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.54 IQD 5,951

$8.26 MX$142

-45.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 IQD 6,074

$8.37 MX$144

-44.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 IQD 17.0K

$10.66 MX$183

21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.91 IQD 1,197

$2.63 MX$45.12

-65.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,416

$1.49 MX$25.53

-27.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.92 MX$32.94

-54.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.39 IQD 514

$2.09 MX$35.81

-81.34%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 IQD 989

$1.86 MX$31.88

-59.14%

Onion (1kg)

$0.35 IQD 452

$2.26 MX$38.81

-84.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 827

$1.06 MX$18.23

-40.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 617

$1.09 MX$18.67

-56.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.97 IQD 2,573

$4.15 MX$71.2

-52.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 IQD 2,341

$1.72 MX$29.59

4.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,769

$2.61 MX$44.85

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.54 MX$9.30

-31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.73 IQD 41.5K

$26.94 MX$462

17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 IQD 2,188

$3.13 MX$53.7

-46.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 IQD 1,936

$2.51 MX$43.09

-41.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 IQD 7,988

$3.15 MX$54.1

93.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.31 IQD 404

$1.27 MX$21.88

-75.59%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-36.13%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-13.90%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-8.34%

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

$17.95 IQD 23.5K

$22.71 MX$390

-20.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.06 IQD 44.6K

$29.46 MX$506

15.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

$51.0 MX$875

-55.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 IQD 22.2K

$18.33 MX$315

-7.31%

Cinema Ticket

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

$4.93 MX$84.5

56.59%

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

$154 IQD 201.2K

$197 MX$3,386

-22.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-38.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.51 IQD 36.0K

$36.90 MX$633

-25.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 IQD 32.6K

$39.89 MX$685

-37.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.10 IQD 53.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-54.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$331 IQD 434.1K

$956 MX$16.4K

-65.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$132 IQD 173.3K

$477 MX$8,189

-72.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$441 IQD 578.0K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.8K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-71.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$581 IQD 760.9K

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-85.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$506 IQD 663.1K

$667 MX$11.4K

-24.08%

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 Al-'amarah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $331 in Al-'amarah versus $956 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.

Salaries run about 32% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $153 vs $250 – making Al-'amarah 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,006 per month in Al-'amarah and $1,906 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 Al-'amarah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 63% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al-'amarah and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $671, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al-'amarah. 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.