Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-mawsil and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,085 in Al-mawsil versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Al-mawsil versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al-mawsil costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-mawsil 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.47 IQD 9,781

$11.73 MX$203

-36.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$12.10 IQD 15.8K

$41.62 MX$720

-70.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.87 IQD 7,683

$10.64 MX$184

-44.83%

Cappuccino

$0.75 IQD 977

$3.52 MX$60.9

-78.69%

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

$0.36 IQD 473

$1.51 MX$26.12

-76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 218

$0.97 MX$16.84

-82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 IQD 1,198

$2.95 MX$51.0

-69.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 IQD 1,943

$4.45 MX$77.0

-66.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 IQD 1,207

$1.38 MX$23.93

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 IQD 976

$1.89 MX$32.72

-60.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,378

$1.64 MX$28.32

-35.98%

Eggs

$1.97 IQD 2,578

$2.51 MX$43.34

-21.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,521

$8.34 MX$144

-12.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 IQD 4,326

$8.34 MX$144

-60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.12 IQD 9,319

$10.73 MX$186

-33.64%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,203

$2.60 MX$45.04

-64.62%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 IQD 1,126

$1.46 MX$25.20

-41.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.77 IQD 1,012

$1.90 MX$32.87

-59.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.37 IQD 479

$2.08 MX$35.91

-82.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 543

$1.78 MX$30.71

-76.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 601

$2.19 MX$37.80

-79.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.52 IQD 679

$1.04 MX$17.99

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 635

$1.08 MX$18.62

-55.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,492

$4.08 MX$70.6

-53.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$10.32 MX$178

18.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.71 MX$29.61

-19.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 IQD 2,518

$2.58 MX$44.54

-25.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.51 MX$8.81

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.22 IQD 40.9K

$26.46 MX$458

17.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 IQD 2,850

$3.26 MX$56.4

-33.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 IQD 2,646

$2.49 MX$43.09

-18.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 IQD 4,391

$3.25 MX$56.2

3.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.35 IQD 461

$1.31 MX$22.61

-73.28%

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

$15.6K IQD 20.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-48.45%

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

$17.7K IQD 23.2M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-24.53%

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

$99.0 IQD 129.6K

$82.9 MX$1,433

19.44%

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

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

$22.22 MX$384

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.95 IQD 35.3K

$29.34 MX$507

-8.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.87 IQD 31.3K

$51.6 MX$893

-53.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.75 IQD 24.6K

$18.32 MX$317

2.35%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 IQD 15.0K

$5.07 MX$87.6

126.63%

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

$198 IQD 258.7K

$201 MX$3,473

-1.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$701 IQD 917.6K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-86.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.06 IQD 18.4K

$36.92 MX$639

-61.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.51 IQD 22.9K

$39.79 MX$688

-55.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$78.5 MX$1,357

4.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.05 IQD 24.9K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-78.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 316.0K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 IQD 231.4K

$468 MX$8,090

-62.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$585 IQD 765.7K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.4K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-71.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$607 IQD 795.3K

$664 MX$11.5K

-8.53%

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-mawsil: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Al-mawsil and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $12.00 in Al-mawsil vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $148 vs $249 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 9% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Al-mawsil versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $198 in Al-mawsil versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $734 in Al-mawsil versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.