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 $810 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Al Hillah vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,718 per month in Al Hillah vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hillah is about 35% 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.45 IQD 7,132

$11.99 MX$210

-54.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

$41.78 MX$733

-25.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.12 IQD 8,019

$10.75 MX$189

-43.07%

Cappuccino

$3.06 IQD 4,005

$3.50 MX$61.3

-12.57%

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

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.45 MX$25.41

-72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.88 MX$15.52

-79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,833

$2.95 MX$51.7

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 IQD 3,793

$4.51 MX$79.1

-35.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.43 MX$25.12

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 963

$1.84 MX$32.23

-59.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,156

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.10%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,359

$2.51 MX$44.06

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.49 IQD 5,874

$8.28 MX$145

-45.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,290

$8.43 MX$148

-43.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$10.68 MX$187

31.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$2.61 MX$45.76

-52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,564

$1.44 MX$25.22

-17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,368

$1.96 MX$34.41

-46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 899

$2.09 MX$36.74

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 863

$1.85 MX$32.47

-64.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$2.17 MX$38.02

-70.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 778

$1.03 MX$18.09

-42.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.07 MX$18.84

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,485

$4.10 MX$72.0

-53.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.82 IQD 18.1K

$10.17 MX$178

35.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,415

$1.68 MX$29.38

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 IQD 2,840

$2.53 MX$44.31

-14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.51 MX$8.93

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.4 IQD 85.6K

$26.04 MX$457

151.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,092

$3.23 MX$56.7

-26.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,031

$2.41 MX$42.19

-35.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 IQD 4,414

$3.23 MX$56.6

4.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 703

$1.32 MX$23.17

-59.09%

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

$17.4K IQD 22.8M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-41.34%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-14.33%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.3K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-7.54%

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

$15.12 IQD 19.8K

$22.95 MX$403

-34.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 IQD 51.1K

$30.11 MX$528

29.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$52.0 MX$912

-54.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.19 IQD 25.1K

$18.53 MX$325

3.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$4.98 MX$87.3

56.02%

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

$95.6 IQD 125.2K

$197 MX$3,463

-51.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$779 IQD 1.0M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-85.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.22 IQD 35.6K

$35.60 MX$624

-23.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.73 IQD 36.3K

$40.33 MX$707

-31.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.6 IQD 80.7K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-21.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.71 IQD 57.2K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-50.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$364 IQD 476.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-61.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 IQD 256.8K

$474 MX$8,314

-58.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$667 IQD 874.0K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-59.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 IQD 410.0K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-74.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,746 IQD 2.3M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-56.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$545 IQD 713.5K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-91.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$517 IQD 677.5K

$654 MX$11.5K

-20.87%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $364 in Al Hillah 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.

Salaries run about 26% 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: $189 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 55%, 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 $1,215 per month in Al Hillah 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 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 151% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $95.6 per month in Al Hillah and $197 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 $810, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.