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 $688 per month in An Najaf vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,013 per month in An Najaf vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,338 per month in An Najaf vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

An Najaf is about 45% 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 49% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 IQD 5,317

$11.99 MX$210

-66.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.20 IQD 30.4K

$41.78 MX$733

-44.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.88 IQD 6,384

$10.75 MX$189

-54.60%

Cappuccino

$2.75 IQD 3,600

$3.50 MX$61.3

-21.43%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.45 MX$25.41

-74.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.88 MX$15.52

-80.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 IQD 4,411

$2.95 MX$51.7

14.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 IQD 3,739

$4.51 MX$79.1

-36.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,716

$1.43 MX$25.12

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,103

$1.84 MX$32.23

-54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,071

$1.57 MX$27.51

0.64%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,337

$2.51 MX$44.06

-29.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.40 IQD 3,140

$8.28 MX$145

-71.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,300

$8.43 MX$148

-42.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.78 IQD 14.1K

$10.68 MX$187

0.94%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,665

$2.61 MX$45.76

-51.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$1.44 MX$25.22

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.00 IQD 1,313

$1.96 MX$34.41

-48.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 966

$2.09 MX$36.74

-64.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 838

$1.85 MX$32.47

-65.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 832

$2.17 MX$38.02

-70.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 IQD 863

$1.03 MX$18.09

-35.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 IQD 518

$1.07 MX$18.84

-62.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.49 IQD 1,954

$4.10 MX$72.0

-63.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$10.17 MX$178

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 IQD 2,437

$1.68 MX$29.38

10.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,871

$2.53 MX$44.31

-13.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.51 MX$8.93

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

$26.04 MX$457

32.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$3.23 MX$56.7

-39.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 IQD 1,993

$2.41 MX$42.19

-36.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 IQD 6,448

$3.23 MX$56.6

52.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.45 IQD 586

$1.32 MX$23.17

-65.91%

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

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-61.25%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-16.75%

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

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

$82.0 MX$1,439

-28.33%

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

$23.18 IQD 30.3K

$22.95 MX$403

1.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.93 IQD 45.7K

$30.11 MX$528

16.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

$52.0 MX$912

-43.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.81 IQD 19.4K

$18.53 MX$325

-20.08%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$4.98 MX$87.3

56.22%

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

$164 IQD 214.2K

$197 MX$3,463

-17.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-82.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

$35.60 MX$624

-54.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

$40.33 MX$707

-38.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.72 IQD 57.2K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-50.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.4K

$947 MX$16.6K

-74.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 173.9K

$474 MX$8,314

-71.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$388 IQD 508.7K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-76.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 IQD 198.6K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-87.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,274 IQD 1.7M

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-68.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$479 IQD 627.0K

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-92.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$736 IQD 964.4K

$654 MX$11.5K

12.63%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $243 in An Najaf versus $947 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: $171 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 83% 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 $1,031 per month in An Najaf and $1,884 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 $688 in An Najaf and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% 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 $688, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $688 versus $1,256 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.