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: $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,154 in Az Zubayr versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,577 in Az Zubayr versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Az Zubayr costs roughly 43% 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 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.97 IQD 5,194

$11.94 MX$208

-66.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

$42.75 MX$744

-41.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.96 IQD 9,111

$10.59 MX$184

-34.28%

Cappuccino

$2.59 IQD 3,387

$3.62 MX$63.0

-28.45%

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

$0.40 IQD 523

$1.47 MX$25.54

-72.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 226

$0.94 MX$16.41

-81.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 IQD 3,906

$3.09 MX$53.8

-3.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 IQD 3,778

$4.46 MX$77.6

-35.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,785

$1.43 MX$24.80

-4.90%

White Bread (500g)

$0.78 IQD 1,025

$1.88 MX$32.79

-58.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 IQD 2,082

$1.63 MX$28.34

-2.45%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,239

$2.64 MX$45.99

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.44 IQD 5,813

$8.21 MX$143

-45.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.80 IQD 6,285

$8.29 MX$144

-42.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 IQD 17.2K

$11.10 MX$193

18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$2.65 MX$46.14

-56.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 IQD 1,590

$1.50 MX$26.11

-19.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,385

$1.99 MX$34.59

-46.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$2.08 MX$36.13

-65.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 912

$1.79 MX$31.11

-60.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 878

$2.18 MX$37.87

-69.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 823

$1.08 MX$18.73

-41.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 733

$1.04 MX$18.04

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,465

$3.97 MX$69.1

-52.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 IQD 2,329

$1.73 MX$30.04

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 IQD 2,868

$2.50 MX$43.46

-12.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 482

$0.52 MX$9.02

-28.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

$26.97 MX$469

16.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 IQD 2,930

$3.14 MX$54.7

-28.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 2,005

$2.40 MX$41.80

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.83 IQD 7,631

$3.09 MX$53.7

88.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 754

$1.27 MX$22.16

-54.33%

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

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-39.00%

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

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-13.74%

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

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-3.96%

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

$17.71 IQD 23.2K

$22.45 MX$391

-21.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.72 IQD 45.5K

$29.66 MX$516

17.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$51.9 MX$903

-29.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.73 IQD 21.9K

$18.67 MX$325

-10.39%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 IQD 9,749

$4.97 MX$86.5

49.70%

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

$151 IQD 197.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-23.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-37.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.58 IQD 36.1K

$36.34 MX$632

-24.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.87 IQD 32.6K

$40.05 MX$697

-37.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.2 IQD 80.2K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.29 IQD 54.1K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-53.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 IQD 316.5K

$963 MX$16.8K

-74.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.5K

$465 MX$8,086

-62.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 IQD 748.2K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-64.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 459.0K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-71.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $242 in Az Zubayr and $963 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 $251 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 76% in total monthly costs ($731 vs $1,287 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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: $242 in Az Zubayr versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% 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 $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,287 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 76% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.