Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Baghdad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,598 in Baghdad versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,130 in Baghdad versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Baghdad costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Baghdad 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.30 IQD 6,947

$11.99 MX$210

-55.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.81 IQD 48.2K

$41.78 MX$731

-11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

$10.75 MX$188

-27.63%

Cappuccino

$3.11 IQD 4,074

$3.50 MX$61.1

-11.14%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.45 MX$25.33

-72.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.88 MX$15.47

-79.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.49 IQD 4,576

$2.95 MX$51.6

18.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 IQD 3,686

$4.51 MX$78.9

-37.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 IQD 1,722

$1.43 MX$25.04

-8.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 IQD 1,100

$1.84 MX$32.13

-54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 IQD 2,152

$1.57 MX$27.42

4.46%

Eggs

$1.81 IQD 2,364

$2.51 MX$43.92

-27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.52 IQD 5,923

$8.28 MX$145

-45.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 IQD 6,364

$8.43 MX$147

-42.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 IQD 18.5K

$10.68 MX$187

32.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,615

$2.61 MX$45.62

-52.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.44 MX$25.15

-19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.04 IQD 1,366

$1.96 MX$34.31

-46.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 984

$2.09 MX$36.62

-64.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 843

$1.85 MX$32.37

-65.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$2.17 MX$37.90

-69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 IQD 828

$1.03 MX$18.04

-38.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 IQD 858

$1.07 MX$18.78

-38.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.07 IQD 2,707

$4.10 MX$71.7

-49.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.33 IQD 17.5K

$10.17 MX$178

31.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,354

$1.68 MX$29.29

7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 IQD 2,762

$2.53 MX$44.17

-16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.74 IQD 965

$0.51 MX$8.90

45.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.86 IQD 36.5K

$26.04 MX$455

6.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.72 IQD 4,870

$3.23 MX$56.5

15.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 IQD 2,026

$2.41 MX$42.06

-35.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.49 IQD 9,803

$3.23 MX$56.5

131.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 700

$1.32 MX$23.10

-59.85%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$29.7K MX$519.2K

-32.56%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$23.7K MX$413.7K

-14.06%

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

$175 IQD 229.3K

$82.0 MX$1,434

113.47%

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

$26.17 IQD 34.3K

$22.95 MX$401

14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.52 IQD 53.1K

$30.11 MX$527

34.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.04 IQD 55.1K

$52.0 MX$909

-19.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.31 IQD 24.0K

$18.53 MX$324

-1.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.49 IQD 9,813

$4.98 MX$87.0

50.40%

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

$166 IQD 217.8K

$197 MX$3,452

-15.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,526 IQD 4.6M

$5,336 MX$93.3K

-33.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 IQD 36.7K

$35.60 MX$622

-21.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.12 IQD 39.4K

$40.33 MX$705

-25.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.9 IQD 83.7K

$78.8 MX$1,377

-18.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.06 IQD 56.4K

$88.9 MX$1,555

-51.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$548 IQD 717.9K

$947 MX$16.6K

-42.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$323 IQD 422.7K

$474 MX$8,288

-31.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 IQD 1.1M

$1,644 MX$28.7K

-49.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$597 IQD 781.1K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-50.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,734 IQD 6.2M

$4,056 MX$70.9K

16.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,570 IQD 2.1M

$6,470 MX$113.1K

-75.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$629 IQD 823.2K

$654 MX$11.4K

-3.86%

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 Baghdad: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $548 in Baghdad and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $37.00 in Baghdad vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $249 per month, with Baghdad 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

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

Baghdad wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baghdad the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $548 in Baghdad versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Baghdad runs roughly 7% 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 Baghdad versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,066 in Baghdad versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Baghdad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Baghdad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baghdad delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,066 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baghdad hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baghdad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.