Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ba'qubah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $985 in Ba'qubah versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,333 in Ba'qubah versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ba'qubah costs roughly 50% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ba'qubah 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.03 IQD 6,593

$11.94 MX$209

-57.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.37 IQD 20.1K

$42.75 MX$748

-64.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 IQD 8,318

$10.59 MX$185

-40.04%

Cappuccino

$1.13 IQD 1,478

$3.62 MX$63.4

-68.78%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$1.47 MX$25.69

-67.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 242

$0.94 MX$16.51

-80.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 IQD 2,534

$3.09 MX$54.1

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 IQD 2,697

$4.46 MX$78.0

-53.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 IQD 1,485

$1.43 MX$24.94

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 IQD 726

$1.88 MX$32.97

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,473

$1.63 MX$28.50

-31.29%

Eggs

$1.41 IQD 1,852

$2.64 MX$46.26

-46.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$2.26 IQD 2,964

$8.21 MX$144

-72.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.52 IQD 3,298

$8.29 MX$145

-69.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 IQD 14.1K

$11.10 MX$194

-2.97%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 IQD 1,202

$2.65 MX$46.40

-65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,480

$1.50 MX$26.26

-24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,291

$1.99 MX$34.79

-50.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 782

$2.08 MX$36.33

-71.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.56 IQD 729

$1.79 MX$31.29

-68.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 901

$2.18 MX$38.09

-68.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 IQD 612

$1.08 MX$18.84

-56.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 281

$1.04 MX$18.15

-79.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 IQD 3,557

$3.97 MX$69.5

-31.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

$10.20 MX$179

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 IQD 1,873

$1.73 MX$30.22

-17.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,655

$2.50 MX$43.71

-18.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 522

$0.52 MX$9.07

-23.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.61 IQD 41.4K

$26.97 MX$472

17.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 IQD 3,100

$3.14 MX$55.0

-24.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 IQD 2,751

$2.40 MX$42.04

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 IQD 6,973

$3.09 MX$54.0

72.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 IQD 427

$1.27 MX$22.28

-74.02%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-38.50%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.4M

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-10.44%

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

$59.3 IQD 77.7K

$82.0 MX$1,435

-27.68%

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

$17.97 IQD 23.5K

$22.45 MX$393

-19.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.11 IQD 35.5K

$29.66 MX$519

-8.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$18.94 IQD 24.8K

$51.9 MX$908

-63.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.61 IQD 21.8K

$18.67 MX$327

-11.03%

Cinema Ticket

$3.82 IQD 4,999

$4.97 MX$87.0

-23.14%

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

$27.30 IQD 35.8K

$198 MX$3,462

-86.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$632 IQD 827.6K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

-88.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.99 IQD 24.9K

$36.34 MX$636

-47.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.97 IQD 24.9K

$40.05 MX$701

-52.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 IQD 109.8K

$79.9 MX$1,398

4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$27.25 IQD 35.7K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-69.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 IQD 320.3K

$963 MX$16.9K

-74.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 IQD 238.6K

$465 MX$8,133

-60.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$570 IQD 746.3K

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-64.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 451.5K

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-71.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$768 IQD 1.0M

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-80.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$188 IQD 246.7K

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-97.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$730 IQD 956.4K

$720 MX$12.6K

1.34%

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 Ba'qubah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $244 in Ba'qubah and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ba'qubah pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $15.00 in Ba'qubah vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $251 per month, with Ba'qubah 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

Ba'qubah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ba'qubah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 102% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Ba'qubah pays 1% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $244 in Ba'qubah 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 79% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ba'qubah – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $638 in Ba'qubah versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ba'qubah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ba'qubah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ba'qubah 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 Ba'qubah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 102% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.