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 $719 per month in Al Kut vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,124 per month in Al Kut vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,530 per month in Al Kut vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Kut is about 44% 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 46% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.94 IQD 5,165

$11.94 MX$209

-67.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

$42.75 MX$748

-41.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 IQD 8,853

$10.59 MX$185

-36.17%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,452

$3.62 MX$63.4

-27.35%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$1.47 MX$25.69

-73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 281

$0.94 MX$16.51

-77.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 IQD 3,844

$3.09 MX$54.1

-5.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,847

$4.46 MX$78.0

-34.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,738

$1.43 MX$24.94

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,096

$1.88 MX$32.97

-55.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 IQD 1,956

$1.63 MX$28.50

-8.59%

Eggs

$1.59 IQD 2,081

$2.64 MX$46.26

-39.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.56 IQD 5,978

$8.21 MX$144

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 IQD 4,690

$8.29 MX$145

-56.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 IQD 17.4K

$11.10 MX$194

19.37%

Apples (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,102

$2.65 MX$46.40

-68.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,315

$1.50 MX$26.26

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 IQD 1,109

$1.99 MX$34.79

-57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 985

$2.08 MX$36.33

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 902

$1.79 MX$31.29

-61.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 811

$2.18 MX$38.09

-71.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 IQD 880

$1.08 MX$18.84

-37.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 736

$1.04 MX$18.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,460

$3.97 MX$69.5

-52.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 IQD 2,310

$1.73 MX$30.22

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 IQD 2,813

$2.50 MX$43.71

-14.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 480

$0.52 MX$9.07

-28.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.33 IQD 41.0K

$26.97 MX$472

16.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$3.14 MX$55.0

-28.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,994

$2.40 MX$42.04

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.87 IQD 7,690

$3.09 MX$54.0

89.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$1.27 MX$22.28

-58.27%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-37.88%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-15.09%

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

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-7.13%

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

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

$22.45 MX$393

-20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

$29.66 MX$519

18.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.97 IQD 48.4K

$51.9 MX$908

-28.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 IQD 22.4K

$18.67 MX$327

-8.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 IQD 9,975

$4.97 MX$87.0

53.12%

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

$152 IQD 199.6K

$198 MX$3,462

-23.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,254 IQD 4.3M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-38.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

$36.34 MX$636

-24.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

$40.05 MX$701

-37.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 IQD 81.0K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-22.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.65 IQD 53.3K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-54.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.7K

$963 MX$16.9K

-74.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.1K

$465 MX$8,133

-61.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$569 IQD 745.4K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-64.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.6K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-71.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$990 IQD 1.3M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-74.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$509 IQD 666.6K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-92.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Al Kut versus $963 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 $25.00 in Al Kut versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $149 vs $251 – 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: $719 in Al Kut, $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 79% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,078 per month in Al Kut and $1,930 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 69% 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 $25.00 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 $719, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $719 in Al Kut to $1,287 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.