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 $791 per month in Al Hillah vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,214 per month in Al Hillah vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,636 per month in Al Hillah vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hillah is about 38% 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 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.86 IQD 6,367

$11.60 MX$200

-58.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

$47.11 MX$812

-35.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.95 IQD 7,788

$11.88 MX$205

-49.92%

Cappuccino

$3.05 IQD 3,993

$3.98 MX$68.6

-23.37%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$1.43 MX$24.60

-74.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 289

$0.82 MX$14.22

-73.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.83 IQD 3,705

$3.19 MX$55.0

-11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 IQD 5,144

$6.79 MX$117

-42.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 IQD 1,426

$1.68 MX$28.89

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,018

$2.20 MX$37.88

-64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 IQD 2,009

$1.71 MX$29.45

-10.53%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,368

$2.74 MX$47.26

-33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.97 IQD 5,203

$9.58 MX$165

-58.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 IQD 6,202

$9.01 MX$155

-47.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 IQD 18.6K

$12.81 MX$221

11.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,549

$2.89 MX$49.81

-59.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 IQD 1,412

$1.50 MX$25.81

-28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,393

$2.15 MX$37.03

-50.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 IQD 1,017

$2.26 MX$38.96

-65.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 866

$1.98 MX$34.15

-66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$1.99 MX$34.30

-67.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 730

$1.23 MX$21.28

-54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 IQD 768

$1.20 MX$20.63

-50.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$4.55 MX$78.5

-59.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

$10.37 MX$179

31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,937

$1.62 MX$27.91

38.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 IQD 2,875

$2.88 MX$49.67

-23.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 513

$0.60 MX$10.35

-35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.3 IQD 84.2K

$28.80 MX$497

123.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,960

$5.39 MX$92.9

-58.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,988

$3.73 MX$64.3

-59.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 IQD 4,532

$5.77 MX$99.5

-40.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 749

$1.54 MX$26.48

-62.99%

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

$17.1K IQD 22.4M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-24.03%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-26.98%

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

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$91.4 MX$1,576

-16.57%

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

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

$25.20 MX$435

-39.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.51 IQD 50.4K

$31.24 MX$539

23.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.95 IQD 30.1K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-65.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.40 IQD 25.4K

$29.11 MX$502

-33.36%

Cinema Ticket

$7.55 IQD 9,889

$4.86 MX$83.8

55.35%

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

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

$224 MX$3,856

-57.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$766 IQD 1.0M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-81.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.31 IQD 29.2K

$47.10 MX$812

-52.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

$44.29 MX$764

-44.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.1 IQD 87.8K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-16.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.37 IQD 62.0K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-48.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 IQD 368.6K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-73.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.5K

$390 MX$6,728

-53.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$495 IQD 648.4K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-76.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 IQD 380.8K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-77.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,717 IQD 2.2M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-57.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$555 IQD 726.2K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-91.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$514 IQD 673.3K

$758 MX$13.1K

-32.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.45

-64.02%

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

Last update for Al Hillah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Al Hillah versus $1,063 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 47% 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 $30.00 in Al Hillah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $276 – 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 60%, 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 $1,187 per month in Al Hillah and $1,899 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 123% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $94.9 per month in Al Hillah and $224 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 $791, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.