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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $723 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Al Kazimiyah versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,585 in Al Kazimiyah versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Kazimiyah costs roughly 42% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kazimiyah 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 IQD 5,161

$11.99 MX$210

-67.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

$41.78 MX$733

-40.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.91 IQD 9,055

$10.75 MX$189

-35.72%

Cappuccino

$2.55 IQD 3,337

$3.50 MX$61.3

-27.14%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$1.45 MX$25.41

-74.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 214

$0.88 MX$15.52

-81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 IQD 3,917

$2.95 MX$51.7

1.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,741

$4.51 MX$79.1

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,788

$1.43 MX$25.12

-4.20%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.84 MX$32.23

-54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,146

$1.57 MX$27.51

4.46%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,357

$2.51 MX$44.06

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 IQD 5,790

$8.28 MX$145

-46.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.78 IQD 6,259

$8.43 MX$148

-43.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

$10.68 MX$187

25.66%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,578

$2.61 MX$45.76

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,585

$1.44 MX$25.22

-15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$1.96 MX$34.41

-48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 961

$2.09 MX$36.74

-65.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 841

$1.85 MX$32.47

-65.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 814

$2.17 MX$38.02

-71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 829

$1.03 MX$18.09

-38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 737

$1.07 MX$18.84

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,457

$4.10 MX$72.0

-54.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,416

$1.68 MX$29.38

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,822

$2.53 MX$44.31

-15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.51 MX$8.93

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.10 IQD 40.7K

$26.04 MX$457

19.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,048

$3.23 MX$56.7

-27.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,007

$2.41 MX$42.19

-36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 IQD 7,801

$3.23 MX$56.6

84.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 752

$1.32 MX$23.17

-56.82%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-36.65%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-15.80%

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

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-6.95%

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

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

$22.95 MX$403

-23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

$30.11 MX$528

13.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

$52.0 MX$912

-30.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$18.53 MX$325

-8.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$4.98 MX$87.3

55.22%

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

$151 IQD 197.3K

$197 MX$3,463

-23.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,327 IQD 4.4M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-37.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

$35.60 MX$624

-22.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.18 IQD 33.0K

$40.33 MX$707

-37.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.1K

$474 MX$8,314

-62.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.4K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.2K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-71.22%

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 Al Kazimiyah: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al Kazimiyah and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $249 per month, with Al Kazimiyah cheaper across the board.

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 Kazimiyah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,084 in Al Kazimiyah and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Al Kazimiyah versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $723 per month in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Kazimiyah and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.