Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Al-Rumaitha: $650 a month against $1,210 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $6,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

32

Cost of Living Index in Al-Rumaitha
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Al-Rumaitha Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Al-Rumaitha

🇮🇶 Iraq

$650

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,210

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Al-Rumaitha and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Al-Rumaitha and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $650 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen.

Al-Rumaitha $650
Playa del Carmen $1,210

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,027 in Al-Rumaitha versus $2,113 in Playa del Carmen.

Al-Rumaitha $1,027
Playa del Carmen $2,113

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,403 in Al-Rumaitha versus $3,016 in Playa del Carmen.

Al-Rumaitha $1,403
Playa del Carmen $3,016

Living in Al-Rumaitha costs roughly 46% less than in Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Rumaitha 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 IQD 5,465

$10.76 MX$199

-66.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.11 IQD 34.9K

$43.03 MX$795

-46.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.08 IQD 10.7K

$11.79 MX$218

-39.95%

Cappuccino

$2.33 IQD 3,523

$3.87 MX$71.4

-39.79%

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

$0.31 IQD 471

$1.37 MX$25.29

-77.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 IQD 286

$0.84 MX$15.44

-77.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 IQD 4,398

$3.10 MX$57.3

-6.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 IQD 3,936

$5.07 MX$93.6

-48.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 IQD 1,298

$1.44 MX$26.55

-40.28%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,185

$2.23 MX$41.23

-65.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 IQD 2,063

$1.47 MX$27.17

-6.80%

Eggs

$1.58 IQD 2,392

$2.53 MX$46.71

-37.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.09 IQD 6,174

$7.30 MX$135

-43.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 IQD 5,449

$7.86 MX$145

-54.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 IQD 18.2K

$12.79 MX$236

-5.71%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,384

$2.90 MX$53.6

-68.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.95 IQD 1,428

$1.44 MX$26.53

-34.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 IQD 1,268

$2.55 MX$47.07

-67.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 1,002

$2.06 MX$38.03

-67.96%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 844

$2.00 MX$36.97

-72.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 849

$2.01 MX$37.07

-72.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 839

$1.19 MX$22.02

-52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 IQD 717

$1.26 MX$23.23

-62.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.63 IQD 2,468

$4.40 MX$81.4

-62.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.70 IQD 16.2K

$9.59 MX$177

11.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 IQD 2,120

$1.59 MX$29.41

-11.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,691

$2.81 MX$51.9

-36.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.42 IQD 639

$0.57 MX$10.47

-26.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

$27.82 MX$514

-20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 IQD 2,724

$4.98 MX$92.1

-63.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 IQD 2,031

$3.50 MX$64.6

-61.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.81 IQD 7,268

$5.40 MX$99.8

-10.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 IQD 766

$1.47 MX$27.08

-65.31%

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

$14.9K IQD 22.6M

$21.0K MX$387.8K

-28.80%

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

$16.9K IQD 25.5M

$23.9K MX$441.8K

-29.40%

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

$88.6 IQD 133.9K

$84.2 MX$1,556

5.21%

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

$12.11 IQD 18.3K

$23.99 MX$443

-49.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.88 IQD 37.6K

$29.02 MX$536

-14.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.29 IQD 56.3K

$63.0 MX$1,164

-40.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.39 IQD 5,120

$29.14 MX$539

-88.37%

Cinema Ticket

$9.20 IQD 13.9K

$4.94 MX$91.3

86.23%

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

$128 IQD 193.8K

$204 MX$3,763

-37.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,684 IQD 4.1M

$3,941 MX$72.8K

-31.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.77 IQD 31.4K

$43.60 MX$806

-52.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.12 IQD 31.9K

$43.12 MX$797

-51.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$46.80 IQD 70.7K

$75.8 MX$1,400

-38.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$30.79 IQD 46.5K

$88.6 MX$1,637

-65.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$178 IQD 269.0K

$1,008 MX$18.6K

-82.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$128 IQD 194.1K

$374 MX$6,911

-65.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 IQD 564.1K

$1,708 MX$31.6K

-78.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$308 IQD 465.9K

$1,106 MX$20.4K

-72.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$629 IQD 951.1K

$3,944 MX$72.9K

-84.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$532 IQD 803.7K

$6,169 MX$114.0K

-91.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$754 MX$13.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.33

11.45

-70.92%

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

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: October 10, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Al-Rumaitha

$154 23.7%

Playa del Carmen

$258 21.4% 67.5% $104

Accommodation & Living

Al-Rumaitha

$128 19.8%

Playa del Carmen

$374 30.9% 191% $246

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Al-Rumaitha

$126 19.3%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.3% 9.3% $12

Eating Out

Al-Rumaitha

$100 15.4%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.7% 102% $102

Sport & Entertainment

Al-Rumaitha

$56 8.6%

Playa del Carmen

$73 6% 30.9% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Al-Rumaitha

$54 8.3%

Playa del Carmen

$113 9.3% 110% $59

Getting Around

Al-Rumaitha

$32 5%

Playa del Carmen

$53 4.3% 62.7% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $178 in Al-Rumaitha and $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Al-Rumaitha vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $154 vs $258 per month, with Al-Rumaitha cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Al-Rumaitha

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

04:03 4:03 AM

20:03 8:03 PM

8 h behind Al-Rumaitha

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

115,431

149,923

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR

100 MXN = 5.41 USD

100 MXN = 4.81 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,699 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.89 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Al-Rumaitha Playa del Carmen 12,300 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight

From you

Al-Rumaitha
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, eating out, and leisure. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $975 in Al-Rumaitha and $1,816 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: $178 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,008 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $650 per month in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,210 in Playa del Carmen – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $650 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,210 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 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.