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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al-Rumaitha costs roughly 38% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Rumaitha 42% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.00 IQD 5,239

$11.99 MX$210

-66.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

$41.78 MX$733

-39.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.71 IQD 8,785

$10.75 MX$189

-37.58%

Cappuccino

$2.60 IQD 3,408

$3.50 MX$61.3

-25.71%

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

$0.39 IQD 515

$1.45 MX$25.41

-73.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.88 MX$15.52

-77.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 IQD 3,745

$2.95 MX$51.7

-3.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 IQD 3,809

$4.51 MX$79.1

-35.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,738

$1.43 MX$25.12

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,031

$1.84 MX$32.23

-57.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 IQD 2,168

$1.57 MX$27.51

5.73%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,274

$2.51 MX$44.06

-30.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.37 IQD 5,727

$8.28 MX$145

-47.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.61 IQD 6,039

$8.43 MX$148

-45.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

$10.68 MX$187

24.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,570

$2.61 MX$45.76

-54.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,507

$1.44 MX$25.22

-20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,330

$1.96 MX$34.41

-47.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 964

$2.09 MX$36.74

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 845

$1.85 MX$32.47

-64.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 872

$2.17 MX$38.02

-69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 813

$1.03 MX$18.09

-39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 IQD 722

$1.07 MX$18.84

-48.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.89 IQD 2,479

$4.10 MX$72.0

-53.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

$10.17 MX$178

26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 IQD 2,421

$1.68 MX$29.38

10.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 IQD 2,727

$2.53 MX$44.31

-17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.51 MX$8.93

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

$26.04 MX$457

20.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,054

$3.23 MX$56.7

-27.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,957

$2.41 MX$42.19

-38.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 IQD 7,756

$3.23 MX$56.6

83.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 751

$1.32 MX$23.17

-56.82%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-35.24%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-17.18%

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

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-4.74%

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

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

$22.95 MX$403

-23.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

$30.11 MX$528

14.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

$52.0 MX$912

-29.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

$18.53 MX$325

-7.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 IQD 9,995

$4.98 MX$87.3

53.21%

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

$153 IQD 200.1K

$197 MX$3,463

-22.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-37.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$35.60 MX$624

-24.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

$40.33 MX$707

-37.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-54.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.3K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 IQD 764.6K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$338 IQD 442.7K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-72.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Al-Rumaitha and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $249 per month, with Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,165 in Al-Rumaitha and $1,884 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $239 in Al-Rumaitha versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $777 per month in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.