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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $679 in Al Kufah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,052 in Al Kufah versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,425 in Al Kufah versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 IQD 6,918

$11.94 MX$208

-55.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.99 IQD 47.1K

$42.75 MX$744

-15.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$10.59 MX$184

-27.38%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,078

$3.62 MX$63.0

-14.09%

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

$0.39 IQD 516

$1.47 MX$25.54

-73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.94 MX$16.41

-78.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 IQD 4,391

$3.09 MX$53.8

8.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 IQD 3,860

$4.46 MX$77.6

-33.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,456

$1.43 MX$24.80

-22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 794

$1.88 MX$32.79

-67.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$1.63 MX$28.34

0.61%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,333

$2.64 MX$45.99

-32.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.32 IQD 3,035

$8.21 MX$143

-71.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 IQD 3,982

$8.29 MX$144

-63.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.75 IQD 12.8K

$11.10 MX$193

-12.16%

Apples (1kg)

$0.52 IQD 686

$2.65 MX$46.14

-80.38%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,291

$1.50 MX$26.11

-34.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 882

$1.99 MX$34.59

-66.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 643

$2.08 MX$36.13

-76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 IQD 492

$1.79 MX$31.11

-78.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 403

$2.18 MX$37.87

-85.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 867

$1.08 MX$18.73

-38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.04 MX$18.04

-56.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.01 IQD 2,633

$3.97 MX$69.1

-49.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.79 IQD 18.1K

$10.20 MX$178

35.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,353

$1.73 MX$30.04

4.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,719

$2.50 MX$43.46

-16.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 458

$0.52 MX$9.02

-32.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

$26.97 MX$469

14.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,089

$3.14 MX$54.7

-24.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$2.40 MX$41.80

-35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.63 IQD 9,991

$3.09 MX$53.7

146.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 711

$1.27 MX$22.16

-57.48%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-35.86%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-14.87%

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

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-50.45%

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

$25.83 IQD 33.8K

$22.45 MX$391

15.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.68 IQD 29.7K

$29.66 MX$516

-23.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.24 IQD 33.1K

$51.9 MX$903

-51.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

$18.67 MX$325

-11.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 IQD 9,770

$4.97 MX$86.5

50.10%

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

$88.3 IQD 115.7K

$198 MX$3,442

-55.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,403 IQD 3.1M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-54.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.19 IQD 27.8K

$36.34 MX$632

-41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.53 IQD 40.0K

$40.05 MX$697

-23.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-75.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-68.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 IQD 280.1K

$963 MX$16.8K

-77.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 237.3K

$465 MX$8,086

-61.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 IQD 566.3K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$287 IQD 376.5K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-76.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,265 IQD 4.3M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-17.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,674 IQD 2.2M

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-74.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$768 IQD 1.0M

$720 MX$12.5K

6.66%

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 Kufah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Al Kufah and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Al Kufah vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $146 vs $251 per month, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Kufah pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $214 in Al Kufah versus $963 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 Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $679 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $679 in Al Kufah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah 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.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.