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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $734 per month in Al Kut vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,139 per month in Al Kut vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,544 per month in Al Kut vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Kut is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Kut and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Kut 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.99 IQD 5,220

$11.87 MX$204

-66.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.40 IQD 32.0K

$42.90 MX$736

-43.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.00 IQD 9,169

$10.65 MX$183

-34.27%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,448

$3.45 MX$59.2

-23.77%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.50 MX$25.81

-75.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 259

$0.95 MX$16.28

-78.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,838

$3.03 MX$51.9

-3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,831

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,800

$1.38 MX$23.61

-0.72%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 IQD 2,038

$1.61 MX$27.65

-3.11%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$2.59 MX$44.51

-39.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.38 IQD 5,733

$8.26 MX$142

-46.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 IQD 4,561

$8.37 MX$144

-58.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 IQD 16.9K

$10.66 MX$183

21.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,133

$2.63 MX$45.12

-67.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,309

$1.49 MX$25.53

-32.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.87 IQD 1,136

$1.92 MX$32.94

-54.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 898

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$1.86 MX$31.88

-65.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$2.26 MX$38.81

-71.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 818

$1.06 MX$18.23

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 693

$1.09 MX$18.67

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$4.15 MX$71.2

-55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,403

$1.72 MX$29.59

6.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,726

$2.61 MX$44.85

-20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.54 MX$9.30

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.30 IQD 41.0K

$26.94 MX$462

16.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,093

$3.13 MX$53.7

-24.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,000

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,963

$3.15 MX$54.1

93.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.27 MX$21.88

-57.48%

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

$19.5K IQD 25.5M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-35.85%

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

$19.9K IQD 26.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-15.70%

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

$75.8 IQD 99.2K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-8.72%

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

$17.77 IQD 23.3K

$22.71 MX$390

-21.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.04 IQD 45.9K

$29.46 MX$506

18.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 IQD 47.8K

$51.0 MX$875

-28.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.52 IQD 21.6K

$18.33 MX$315

-9.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.53 IQD 9,859

$4.93 MX$84.5

52.74%

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

$150 IQD 196.5K

$197 MX$3,386

-23.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,222 IQD 4.2M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-38.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.59 IQD 34.8K

$36.90 MX$633

-27.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.69 IQD 33.6K

$39.89 MX$685

-35.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.02 IQD 53.7K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-54.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.5K

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.8K

$477 MX$8,189

-62.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 753.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-65.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 450.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-71.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$996 IQD 1.3M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-74.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$497 IQD 650.9K

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-92.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 Kut: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Al Kut versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Al Kut versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $250 – making Al Kut the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kut vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $734 in Al Kut, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 73% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,101 per month in Al Kut and $1,906 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kut, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 71% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Al Kut and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Kut, where all-in costs run around $734, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Al Kut it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $734 in Al Kut to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Al Kut. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.