Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between An Najaf and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $673 per month in An Najaf vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $993 per month in An Najaf vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,313 per month in An Najaf vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

An Najaf is about 48% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both An Najaf and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – An Najaf 50% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.17 IQD 5,458

$11.73 MX$203

-64.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.52 IQD 29.5K

$41.62 MX$721

-45.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 IQD 6,383

$10.64 MX$184

-54.23%

Cappuccino

$2.72 IQD 3,565

$3.52 MX$61.0

-22.73%

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

$0.37 IQD 481

$1.51 MX$26.17

-75.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 232

$0.97 MX$16.87

-81.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,562

$2.95 MX$51.1

17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 IQD 3,646

$4.45 MX$77.2

-37.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,735

$1.38 MX$23.97

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,040

$1.89 MX$32.78

-58.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,107

$1.64 MX$28.37

-1.83%

Eggs

$1.80 IQD 2,358

$2.51 MX$43.42

-28.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.32 IQD 3,042

$8.34 MX$145

-72.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.91 IQD 6,436

$8.34 MX$145

-41.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 IQD 13.8K

$10.73 MX$186

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 IQD 1,617

$2.60 MX$45.12

-52.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,511

$1.46 MX$25.25

-21.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,386

$1.90 MX$32.94

-44.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 986

$2.08 MX$35.98

-63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.78 MX$30.77

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 890

$2.19 MX$37.87

-68.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.04 MX$18.02

-36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 521

$1.08 MX$18.66

-62.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.50 IQD 1,966

$4.08 MX$70.7

-63.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.34 IQD 17.5K

$10.32 MX$179

29.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,410

$1.71 MX$29.67

7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,708

$2.58 MX$44.63

-19.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 478

$0.51 MX$8.83

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.76 IQD 44.2K

$26.46 MX$459

27.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 IQD 2,544

$3.26 MX$56.5

-40.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,012

$2.49 MX$43.17

-38.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.02 IQD 6,572

$3.25 MX$56.3

54.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 579

$1.31 MX$22.65

-66.41%

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

$11.6K IQD 15.2M

$30.3K MX$524.7K

-61.75%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.4K MX$406.0K

-14.40%

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

$59.9 IQD 78.4K

$82.9 MX$1,436

-27.72%

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

$22.72 IQD 29.8K

$22.22 MX$385

2.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

$29.34 MX$508

18.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.23 IQD 38.3K

$51.6 MX$895

-43.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.76 IQD 19.3K

$18.32 MX$317

-19.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

$5.07 MX$87.8

51.48%

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

$164 IQD 215.1K

$201 MX$3,480

-18.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$923 IQD 1.2M

$5,212 MX$90.3K

-82.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

$36.92 MX$640

-55.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.86 IQD 32.6K

$39.79 MX$689

-37.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.8 IQD 84.8K

$78.5 MX$1,360

-17.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.67 IQD 55.9K

$87.1 MX$1,509

-51.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 314.8K

$973 MX$16.9K

-75.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 IQD 175.4K

$468 MX$8,105

-71.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$386 IQD 505.3K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 IQD 196.6K

$1,221 MX$21.2K

-87.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,232 IQD 1.6M

$3,946 MX$68.4K

-68.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$481 IQD 630.0K

$6,498 MX$112.6K

-92.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$748 IQD 979.0K

$664 MX$11.5K

12.60%

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 An Najaf: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in An Najaf versus $973 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.

Salaries run about 13% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in An Najaf versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $249 – making An Najaf 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

An Najaf vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 93% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,009 per month in An Najaf and $1,945 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 An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $673 in An Najaf and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 28% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $673, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $673 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. 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.