Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between As Samawah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $895 in As Samawah versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,362 in As Samawah versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,828 in As Samawah versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 30% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.25 IQD 6,880

$11.87 MX$204

-55.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

$42.90 MX$736

-14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 IQD 9,893

$10.65 MX$183

-29.01%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,032

$3.45 MX$59.2

-10.72%

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

$0.39 IQD 517

$1.50 MX$25.81

-74.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 228

$0.95 MX$16.28

-82.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.50 IQD 4,585

$3.03 MX$51.9

15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,832

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 IQD 1,770

$1.38 MX$23.61

-2.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,027

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 IQD 2,157

$1.61 MX$27.65

2.48%

Eggs

$1.63 IQD 2,139

$2.59 MX$44.51

-37.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.63 IQD 6,061

$8.26 MX$142

-43.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.99 IQD 6,536

$8.37 MX$144

-40.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

$10.66 MX$183

33.49%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,344

$2.63 MX$45.12

-60.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,280

$1.49 MX$25.53

-34.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 935

$1.92 MX$32.94

-63.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 672

$2.09 MX$35.81

-75.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 845

$1.86 MX$31.88

-65.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$2.26 MX$38.81

-69.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.34 IQD 449

$1.06 MX$18.23

-67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$1.09 MX$18.67

-43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.16 IQD 2,831

$4.15 MX$71.2

-47.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

$10.39 MX$178

-24.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 IQD 2,317

$1.72 MX$29.59

2.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,868

$2.61 MX$44.85

-16.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 519

$0.54 MX$9.30

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

$26.94 MX$462

14.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 IQD 5,143

$3.13 MX$53.7

25.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$2.51 MX$43.09

-40.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

$3.15 MX$54.1

148.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 746

$1.27 MX$21.88

-55.12%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-33.43%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-14.10%

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

$175 IQD 228.8K

$83.0 MX$1,425

110.49%

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

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

$22.71 MX$390

12.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

$29.46 MX$506

38.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$51.0 MX$875

-28.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

$18.33 MX$315

-7.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$4.93 MX$84.5

55.98%

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

$164 IQD 215.1K

$197 MX$3,386

-16.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-32.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

$36.90 MX$633

-21.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

$39.89 MX$685

-21.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-50.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.6K

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.5K

$477 MX$8,189

-63.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.5K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$348 IQD 456.2K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-71.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in As Samawah and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $37.00 in As Samawah vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $250 per month, with As Samawah 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

As Samawah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,343 in As Samawah and $1,906 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: $242 in As Samawah versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $164 in As Samawah versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.