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: $667 in Al Kufah versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,063 in Al Kufah versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,460 in Al Kufah versus $2,990 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 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,938

$11.72 MX$203

-54.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$41.89 MX$725

-13.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 IQD 9,759

$10.51 MX$182

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$2.96 IQD 3,871

$3.59 MX$62.0

-17.55%

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

$0.36 IQD 476

$1.51 MX$26.10

-76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 244

$0.92 MX$15.83

-79.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,580

$2.96 MX$51.2

18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 IQD 3,773

$4.41 MX$76.3

-34.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 IQD 1,470

$1.40 MX$24.16

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$0.61 IQD 801

$1.88 MX$32.60

-67.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,096

$1.56 MX$26.97

2.56%

Eggs

$1.75 IQD 2,290

$2.61 MX$45.14

-32.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.30 IQD 3,017

$8.32 MX$144

-72.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.96 IQD 3,882

$8.35 MX$145

-64.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 IQD 13.2K

$10.86 MX$188

-7.18%

Apples (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 632

$2.71 MX$46.93

-82.29%

Banana (1kg)

$0.94 IQD 1,226

$1.51 MX$26.04

-37.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 885

$1.87 MX$32.41

-63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 655

$2.19 MX$37.89

-77.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 488

$1.86 MX$32.14

-80.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.31 IQD 402

$2.23 MX$38.59

-86.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 829

$1.07 MX$18.48

-41.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 589

$1.09 MX$18.79

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.98 IQD 2,588

$4.19 MX$72.4

-52.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

$10.43 MX$180

31.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,439

$1.66 MX$28.68

12.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 IQD 2,772

$2.61 MX$45.19

-18.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.38 IQD 495

$0.54 MX$9.37

-29.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

$26.16 MX$453

17.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,941

$3.08 MX$53.3

-26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,949

$2.40 MX$41.61

-37.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

$3.13 MX$54.1

149.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 661

$1.31 MX$22.69

-61.83%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-32.21%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-15.55%

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

$40.44 IQD 52.9K

$81.3 MX$1,406

-50.25%

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

$26.03 IQD 34.1K

$22.56 MX$390

15.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

$30.05 MX$520

-22.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.75 IQD 33.7K

$52.9 MX$915

-51.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

$18.39 MX$318

-6.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,804

$4.92 MX$85.1

52.24%

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

$86.2 IQD 112.9K

$201 MX$3,474

-57.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,396 IQD 3.1M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-53.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

$35.92 MX$622

-41.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.78 IQD 39.0K

$40.13 MX$694

-25.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-75.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-68.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$214 IQD 280.1K

$978 MX$16.9K

-78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.6K

$470 MX$8,140

-62.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 IQD 553.3K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-74.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 IQD 385.7K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,317 IQD 1.7M

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-66.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$383 IQD 502.0K

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-94.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,031 IQD 1.3M

$677 MX$11.7K

52.35%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $214 in Al Kufah and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 52% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $147 vs $252 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 52% 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: $214 in Al Kufah versus $978 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 $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 $667 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Al Kufah versus $1,260 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.