Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Az Zubayr and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Az Zubayr versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,582 in Az Zubayr versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 41% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Az Zubayr 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,205

$11.87 MX$204

-66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 IQD 32.5K

$42.90 MX$736

-42.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.76 IQD 8,848

$10.65 MX$183

-36.53%

Cappuccino

$2.63 IQD 3,446

$3.45 MX$59.2

-23.77%

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

$0.36 IQD 475

$1.50 MX$25.81

-76.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 213

$0.95 MX$16.28

-83.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.86 IQD 3,745

$3.03 MX$51.9

-5.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 IQD 3,833

$4.61 MX$79.1

-36.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,777

$1.38 MX$23.61

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$1.85 MX$31.70

-55.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,151

$1.61 MX$27.65

1.86%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.59 MX$44.51

-30.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.42 IQD 5,784

$8.26 MX$142

-46.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,292

$8.37 MX$144

-42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.18 IQD 17.3K

$10.66 MX$183

23.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,490

$2.63 MX$45.12

-56.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,506

$1.49 MX$25.53

-22.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,323

$1.92 MX$32.94

-47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 905

$2.09 MX$35.81

-66.99%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$1.86 MX$31.88

-62.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 874

$2.26 MX$38.81

-70.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 IQD 817

$1.06 MX$18.23

-41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 737

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,534

$4.15 MX$71.2

-53.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,357

$1.72 MX$29.59

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,809

$2.61 MX$44.85

-18.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.54 MX$9.30

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.60 IQD 41.4K

$26.94 MX$462

17.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.29 IQD 2,996

$3.13 MX$53.7

-26.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,926

$2.51 MX$43.09

-41.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.96 IQD 7,804

$3.15 MX$54.1

89.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 743

$1.27 MX$21.88

-55.12%

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

$19.4K IQD 25.4M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-36.04%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-14.91%

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

$77.3 IQD 101.3K

$83.0 MX$1,425

-6.84%

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

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

$22.71 MX$390

-22.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.04 IQD 44.6K

$29.46 MX$506

15.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.06 IQD 48.5K

$51.0 MX$875

-27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

$18.33 MX$315

-6.60%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 IQD 9,822

$4.93 MX$84.5

52.13%

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

$153 IQD 200.4K

$197 MX$3,386

-22.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,284 IQD 4.3M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-37.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.32 IQD 35.8K

$36.90 MX$633

-25.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.03 IQD 32.8K

$39.89 MX$685

-37.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.8 IQD 81.0K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-22.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.83 IQD 54.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$243 IQD 317.6K

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 IQD 234.4K

$477 MX$8,189

-62.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 IQD 767.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$344 IQD 451.1K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-71.87%

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 Az Zubayr: June 9, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $243 in Az Zubayr and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $25.00 in Az Zubayr vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $250 per month, with Az Zubayr 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

Az Zubayr vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Az Zubayr and Playa del Carmen differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($746 vs $1,271 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,118 in Az Zubayr 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: $243 in Az Zubayr versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $746 in Az Zubayr versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.