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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,023 in Al-musayyib versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,344 in Al-musayyib versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al-musayyib costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-musayyib 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.65 IQD 6,091

$11.96 MX$203

-61.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$47.38 MX$804

-26.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$11.75 MX$199

-34.47%

Cappuccino

$3.18 IQD 4,163

$4.12 MX$70.0

-22.82%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$1.40 MX$23.74

-72.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 IQD 342

$0.91 MX$15.48

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 IQD 5,105

$3.21 MX$54.4

21.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,021

$7.07 MX$120

-45.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 IQD 1,413

$1.68 MX$28.44

-35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 IQD 1,014

$2.15 MX$36.48

-64.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 IQD 1,985

$1.77 MX$30.10

-14.12%

Eggs

$1.56 IQD 2,047

$2.82 MX$47.76

-44.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 IQD 5,068

$9.20 MX$156

-57.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 IQD 5,016

$9.23 MX$157

-58.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

$12.64 MX$214

-10.60%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$2.95 MX$50.1

-61.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 IQD 1,396

$1.58 MX$26.79

-32.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 IQD 1,376

$2.22 MX$37.70

-52.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 IQD 711

$2.36 MX$40.09

-77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 781

$1.99 MX$33.81

-69.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.59 IQD 768

$1.98 MX$33.58

-70.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 IQD 721

$1.24 MX$21.04

-55.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.36 IQD 474

$1.21 MX$20.55

-70.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.82 IQD 2,386

$4.60 MX$78.1

-60.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

$10.52 MX$178

30.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 IQD 2,935

$1.69 MX$28.70

32.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 IQD 2,997

$2.77 MX$47.06

-17.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,957

$5.24 MX$88.8

-56.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$3.65 MX$61.9

-59.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

$5.78 MX$98.1

32.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 IQD 823

$1.54 MX$26.09

-59.09%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$22.8K MX$386.8K

-16.61%

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

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-25.84%

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

$212 IQD 277.1K

$90.7 MX$1,538

133.36%

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

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

$25.19 MX$427

-16.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

$31.75 MX$539

30.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

$4.86 MX$82.5

119.75%

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

$170 IQD 222.6K

$226 MX$3,828

-24.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

$4,194 MX$71.1K

-16.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

$47.38 MX$804

-37.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

$43.45 MX$737

-13.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

$80.2 MX$1,361

-9.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

$91.4 MX$1,550

-49.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.45

-64.02%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Al-musayyib vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $167 vs $278 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-musayyib and Playa del Carmen differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($703 vs $1,305 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,054 in Al-musayyib and $1,958 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $170 in Al-musayyib versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.