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: $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Kazimiyah costs roughly 44% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kazimiyah 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,226

$11.73 MX$203

-65.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

$41.62 MX$720

-40.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.81 IQD 8,912

$10.64 MX$184

-36.00%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,455

$3.52 MX$60.9

-25.00%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$1.51 MX$26.12

-75.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 280

$0.97 MX$16.84

-78.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 IQD 3,779

$2.95 MX$51.0

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 IQD 3,683

$4.45 MX$77.0

-36.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,741

$1.38 MX$23.93

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,015

$1.89 MX$32.72

-58.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,064

$1.64 MX$28.32

-3.66%

Eggs

$1.72 IQD 2,258

$2.51 MX$43.34

-31.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.48 IQD 5,860

$8.34 MX$144

-46.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.64 IQD 6,082

$8.34 MX$144

-44.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

$10.73 MX$186

21.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$2.60 MX$45.04

-55.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,505

$1.46 MX$25.20

-21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,380

$1.90 MX$32.87

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 979

$2.08 MX$35.91

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$1.78 MX$30.71

-61.80%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 875

$2.19 MX$37.80

-69.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 IQD 884

$1.04 MX$17.99

-34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 720

$1.08 MX$18.62

-49.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,460

$4.08 MX$70.6

-53.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,438

$1.71 MX$29.61

8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,714

$2.58 MX$44.54

-19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 518

$0.51 MX$8.81

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

$26.46 MX$458

18.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,069

$3.26 MX$56.4

-28.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 IQD 1,960

$2.49 MX$43.09

-39.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.86 IQD 7,678

$3.25 MX$56.2

80.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.31 MX$22.61

-58.78%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-38.07%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.69%

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

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-8.01%

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

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

$22.22 MX$384

-20.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

$29.34 MX$507

16.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

$51.6 MX$893

-27.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

$18.32 MX$317

-8.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.56 IQD 9,905

$5.07 MX$87.6

49.11%

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

$152 IQD 199.3K

$201 MX$3,473

-24.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-37.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

$36.92 MX$639

-27.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

$39.79 MX$688

-36.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-52.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 322.9K

$973 MX$16.8K

-74.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 232.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 748.4K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-65.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.5K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-71.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Al Kazimiyah and $973 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 $157 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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,098 in Al Kazimiyah and $1,945 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: $247 in Al Kazimiyah versus $973 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 $732 per month in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,297 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 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.