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: $886 in As Samawah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,349 in As Samawah versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,813 in As Samawah versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in As Samawah costs roughly 31% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: As Samawah 34% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 IQD 7,038

$11.94 MX$209

-55.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

$42.75 MX$748

-16.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

$10.59 MX$185

-27.95%

Cappuccino

$3.00 IQD 3,925

$3.62 MX$63.4

-17.13%

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

$0.39 IQD 513

$1.47 MX$25.69

-73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 216

$0.94 MX$16.51

-81.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.51 IQD 4,594

$3.09 MX$54.1

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 IQD 3,816

$4.46 MX$78.0

-34.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,719

$1.43 MX$24.94

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,080

$1.88 MX$32.97

-56.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 IQD 2,136

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$1.61 IQD 2,110

$2.64 MX$46.26

-39.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,746

$8.21 MX$144

-46.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.06 IQD 6,625

$8.29 MX$145

-38.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

$11.10 MX$194

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,333

$2.65 MX$46.40

-61.51%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,294

$1.50 MX$26.26

-34.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 903

$1.99 MX$34.79

-65.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.49 IQD 639

$2.08 MX$36.33

-76.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 862

$1.79 MX$31.29

-63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 822

$2.18 MX$38.09

-71.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.32 IQD 418

$1.08 MX$18.84

-70.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.67 IQD 878

$1.04 MX$18.15

-35.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.11 IQD 2,765

$3.97 MX$69.5

-46.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.59 IQD 9,945

$10.20 MX$179

-25.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 IQD 2,413

$1.73 MX$30.22

6.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 IQD 2,858

$2.50 MX$43.71

-12.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.52 MX$9.07

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

$26.97 MX$472

15.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 IQD 4,885

$3.14 MX$55.0

18.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,019

$2.40 MX$42.04

-35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

$3.09 MX$54.0

148.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 IQD 704

$1.27 MX$22.28

-57.48%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-35.32%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-13.96%

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

$176 IQD 230.0K

$82.0 MX$1,435

114.08%

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

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

$22.45 MX$393

13.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

$29.66 MX$519

37.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

$51.9 MX$908

-27.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

$18.67 MX$327

-11.41%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$4.97 MX$87.0

57.34%

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

$166 IQD 217.7K

$198 MX$3,462

-15.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-32.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

$36.34 MX$636

-22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

$40.05 MX$701

-22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

$79.9 MX$1,398

-18.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-50.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 318.0K

$963 MX$16.9K

-74.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.2K

$465 MX$8,133

-62.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 755.1K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-63.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 IQD 455.0K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-71.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in As Samawah and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in As Samawah vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $251 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,329 in As Samawah and $1,930 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: $243 in As Samawah versus $963 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 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $166 in As Samawah versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,287 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.