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: $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,024 in Al Kufah versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,413 in Al Kufah versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Kufah costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Kufah 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 IQD 6,244

$11.60 MX$200

-58.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.77 IQD 44.2K

$47.11 MX$812

-28.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$11.88 MX$205

-34.01%

Cappuccino

$3.14 IQD 4,115

$3.98 MX$68.6

-21.11%

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

$0.37 IQD 480

$1.43 MX$24.60

-74.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 344

$0.82 MX$14.22

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.77 IQD 4,940

$3.19 MX$55.0

18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 IQD 4,923

$6.79 MX$117

-44.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,415

$1.68 MX$28.89

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,016

$2.20 MX$37.88

-64.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,074

$1.71 MX$29.45

-7.60%

Eggs

$1.82 IQD 2,379

$2.74 MX$47.26

-33.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.22 IQD 2,905

$9.58 MX$165

-76.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.65 IQD 6,089

$9.01 MX$155

-48.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.32 IQD 12.2K

$12.81 MX$221

-27.24%

Apples (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 978

$2.89 MX$49.81

-74.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,426

$1.50 MX$25.81

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 788

$2.15 MX$37.03

-72.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 741

$2.26 MX$38.96

-74.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 665

$1.98 MX$34.15

-74.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 IQD 431

$1.99 MX$34.30

-83.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.17 IQD 221

$1.23 MX$21.28

-86.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 IQD 714

$1.20 MX$20.63

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.54 IQD 2,015

$4.55 MX$78.5

-66.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.57 IQD 17.8K

$10.37 MX$179

30.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$1.62 MX$27.91

38.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 IQD 2,969

$2.88 MX$49.67

-21.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.60 MX$10.35

-38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.34 IQD 3,061

$5.39 MX$92.9

-56.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 IQD 2,058

$3.73 MX$64.3

-57.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 IQD 9,912

$5.77 MX$99.5

31.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 710

$1.54 MX$26.48

-64.94%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-16.37%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-27.47%

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

$217 IQD 284.3K

$91.4 MX$1,576

137.58%

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

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

$25.20 MX$435

-16.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.80 IQD 29.9K

$31.24 MX$539

-27.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-76.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

$4.86 MX$83.8

108.85%

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

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$224 MX$3,856

-67.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,432 IQD 3.2M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-42.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.09 IQD 13.2K

$47.10 MX$812

-78.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

$44.29 MX$764

-33.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-75.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.38 IQD 46.3K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-61.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 IQD 247.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-82.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$254 IQD 332.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-88.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$197 IQD 258.2K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-84.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,321 IQD 1.7M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-66.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$380 IQD 497.7K

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-94.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,021 IQD 1.3M

$758 MX$13.1K

34.64%

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 Kufah: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $189 in Al Kufah and $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Al Kufah vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $276 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 35% higher in Al Kufah, 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: $189 in Al Kufah versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $636 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,266 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 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.