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: $671 in Al Kufah versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,041 in Al Kufah versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,411 in Al Kufah versus $2,980 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

$5.45 IQD 7,133

$11.87 MX$204

-54.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.38 IQD 47.6K

$42.90 MX$736

-15.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 IQD 9,956

$10.65 MX$183

-28.64%

Cappuccino

$2.94 IQD 3,856

$3.45 MX$59.2

-14.78%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$1.50 MX$25.81

-73.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.95 MX$16.28

-81.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 IQD 4,604

$3.03 MX$51.9

16.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 IQD 3,784

$4.61 MX$79.1

-37.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,459

$1.38 MX$23.61

-19.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 IQD 865

$1.85 MX$31.70

-64.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,166

$1.61 MX$27.65

2.48%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,236

$2.59 MX$44.51

-33.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$8.26 MX$142

-73.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.03 IQD 3,963

$8.37 MX$144

-63.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.21 IQD 13.4K

$10.66 MX$183

-4.22%

Apples (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 637

$2.63 MX$45.12

-81.37%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 IQD 1,261

$1.49 MX$25.53

-35.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 891

$1.92 MX$32.94

-64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 607

$2.09 MX$35.81

-77.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 IQD 530

$1.86 MX$31.88

-78.49%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 IQD 439

$2.26 MX$38.81

-84.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 824

$1.06 MX$18.23

-40.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.09 MX$18.67

-58.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.03 IQD 2,662

$4.15 MX$71.2

-51.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.53 IQD 17.7K

$10.39 MX$178

30.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,310

$1.72 MX$29.59

2.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,759

$2.61 MX$44.85

-19.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 489

$0.54 MX$9.30

-31.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.49 IQD 41.2K

$26.94 MX$462

16.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.32 IQD 3,041

$3.13 MX$53.7

-25.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$2.51 MX$43.09

-38.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.47 IQD 9,783

$3.15 MX$54.1

137.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 697

$1.27 MX$21.88

-58.27%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-33.21%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-13.96%

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

$40.56 IQD 53.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-51.13%

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

$26.38 IQD 34.5K

$22.71 MX$390

16.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.19 IQD 30.4K

$29.46 MX$506

-21.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.04 IQD 34.1K

$51.0 MX$875

-48.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.05 IQD 22.3K

$18.33 MX$315

-6.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 IQD 9,982

$4.93 MX$84.5

54.56%

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

$86.3 IQD 113.0K

$197 MX$3,386

-56.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,370 IQD 3.1M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-55.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$21.20 IQD 27.8K

$36.90 MX$633

-42.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.55 IQD 38.7K

$39.89 MX$685

-25.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.10 IQD 26.3K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-74.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.59 IQD 36.1K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-69.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$213 IQD 278.8K

$956 MX$16.4K

-77.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-63.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$427 IQD 558.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-74.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 IQD 386.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-75.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,258 IQD 4.3M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-16.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,677 IQD 2.2M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-74.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$667 MX$11.4K

15.26%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $213 in Al Kufah and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 15% 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 $147 vs $250 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.

Al Kufah pays 15% 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: $213 in Al Kufah versus $956 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 $671 per month in Al Kufah versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $671 in Al Kufah versus $1,271 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.