Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hillah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $819 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,263 per month in Al Hillah vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,708 per month in Al Hillah vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hillah is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Hillah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Hillah 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 IQD 6,917

$11.73 MX$203

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

$41.62 MX$720

-26.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.00 IQD 7,851

$10.64 MX$184

-43.61%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,073

$3.52 MX$60.9

-11.65%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.51 MX$26.12

-73.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.97 MX$16.84

-79.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 IQD 3,896

$2.95 MX$51.0

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,706

$4.45 MX$77.0

-36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,713

$1.38 MX$23.93

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 967

$1.89 MX$32.72

-60.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$1.64 MX$28.32

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,280

$2.51 MX$43.34

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,733

$8.34 MX$144

-47.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 IQD 6,623

$8.34 MX$144

-39.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 IQD 18.3K

$10.73 MX$186

30.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.28 IQD 1,673

$2.60 MX$45.04

-50.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,516

$1.46 MX$25.20

-20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,385

$1.90 MX$32.87

-44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$2.08 MX$35.91

-66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.78 MX$30.71

-62.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 890

$2.19 MX$37.80

-68.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 720

$1.04 MX$17.99

-47.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 722

$1.08 MX$18.62

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 IQD 2,552

$4.08 MX$70.6

-52.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 IQD 17.8K

$10.32 MX$178

31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,300

$1.71 MX$29.61

2.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,863

$2.58 MX$44.54

-15.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.51 MX$8.81

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.8 IQD 83.6K

$26.46 MX$458

141.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$3.26 MX$56.4

-30.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,016

$2.49 MX$43.09

-38.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 IQD 4,358

$3.25 MX$56.2

2.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 689

$1.31 MX$22.61

-59.54%

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

$17.0K IQD 22.2M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-43.91%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-14.36%

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

$76.0 IQD 99.6K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-8.25%

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

$15.24 IQD 20.0K

$22.22 MX$384

-31.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.99 IQD 49.8K

$29.34 MX$507

29.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.35 IQD 30.6K

$51.6 MX$893

-54.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.37 IQD 25.4K

$18.32 MX$317

5.73%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,883

$5.07 MX$87.6

48.92%

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

$96.5 IQD 126.4K

$201 MX$3,473

-51.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$754 IQD 986.7K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-85.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

$36.92 MX$639

-26.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.83 IQD 36.4K

$39.79 MX$688

-30.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 IQD 80.1K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-21.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.90 IQD 57.5K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$378 IQD 494.8K

$973 MX$16.8K

-61.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 IQD 249.6K

$468 MX$8,090

-59.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 IQD 867.5K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-59.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$322 IQD 422.1K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-73.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,702 IQD 2.2M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-56.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$562 IQD 736.0K

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-91.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$515 IQD 674.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

-22.39%

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 Hillah: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $378 in Al Hillah 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.

Salaries run about 29% 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 $31.00 in Al Hillah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $249 – making Al Hillah 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 Hillah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 58%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,228 per month in Al Hillah 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 Al Hillah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 141% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $96.5 per month in Al Hillah and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $819, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Al Hillah 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 Hillah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al Hillah. 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.