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: $892 in As Samawah versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,353 in As Samawah versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in As Samawah versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 29% 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

$5.24 IQD 6,866

$11.72 MX$203

-55.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

$41.89 MX$725

-13.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$10.51 MX$182

-26.45%

Cappuccino

$3.04 IQD 3,987

$3.59 MX$62.0

-15.32%

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

$0.37 IQD 484

$1.51 MX$26.10

-75.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 265

$0.92 MX$15.83

-78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,553

$2.96 MX$51.2

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,837

$4.41 MX$76.3

-33.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,799

$1.40 MX$24.16

-2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,074

$1.88 MX$32.60

-56.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,089

$1.56 MX$26.97

2.56%

Eggs

$1.64 IQD 2,146

$2.61 MX$45.14

-37.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 IQD 6,022

$8.32 MX$144

-44.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.83 IQD 6,329

$8.35 MX$145

-42.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

$10.86 MX$188

30.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,347

$2.71 MX$46.93

-61.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,339

$1.51 MX$26.04

-32.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$1.87 MX$32.41

-63.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.51 IQD 673

$2.19 MX$37.89

-76.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 916

$1.86 MX$32.14

-62.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 IQD 817

$2.23 MX$38.59

-72.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 411

$1.07 MX$18.48

-71.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 IQD 806

$1.09 MX$18.79

-43.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.08 IQD 2,723

$4.19 MX$72.4

-50.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

$10.43 MX$180

-25.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,352

$1.66 MX$28.68

8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 IQD 2,716

$2.61 MX$45.19

-20.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.54 MX$9.37

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

$26.16 MX$453

18.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,117

$3.08 MX$53.3

26.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,021

$2.40 MX$41.61

-35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.62 IQD 9,979

$3.13 MX$54.1

143.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 IQD 734

$1.31 MX$22.69

-57.25%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-33.81%

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

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-14.97%

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

$179 IQD 234.3K

$81.3 MX$1,406

120.13%

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

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

$22.56 MX$390

15.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

$30.05 MX$520

34.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

$52.9 MX$915

-31.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

$18.39 MX$318

-8.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$4.92 MX$85.1

56.71%

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

$169 IQD 220.9K

$201 MX$3,474

-16.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-29.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

$35.92 MX$622

-21.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

$40.13 MX$694

-24.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

$79.7 MX$1,379

-20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-50.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 312.9K

$978 MX$16.9K

-75.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.1K

$470 MX$8,140

-61.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-64.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 IQD 457.2K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-70.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in As Samawah and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in As Samawah vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $173 vs $252 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. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,338 in As Samawah and $1,890 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 As Samawah versus $978 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 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $169 in As Samawah versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,260 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 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.