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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $742 in Basra versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,351 in Basra versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,960 in Basra versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Basra costs roughly 43% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.81 IQD 4,990

$11.73 MX$203

-67.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.77 IQD 32.4K

$41.62 MX$720

-40.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.02 IQD 9,193

$10.64 MX$184

-34.02%

Cappuccino

$2.06 IQD 2,695

$3.52 MX$60.9

-41.48%

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

$0.44 IQD 572

$1.51 MX$26.12

-70.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 452

$0.97 MX$16.84

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.86 IQD 5,061

$2.95 MX$51.0

30.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 IQD 3,532

$4.45 MX$77.0

-39.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 IQD 1,607

$1.38 MX$23.93

-10.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.89 MX$32.72

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 IQD 1,850

$1.64 MX$28.32

-14.02%

Eggs

$1.92 IQD 2,512

$2.51 MX$43.34

-23.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 IQD 10.5K

$8.34 MX$144

-3.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 IQD 9,457

$8.34 MX$144

-13.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.20 IQD 17.3K

$10.73 MX$186

23.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,321

$2.60 MX$45.04

-61.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 IQD 1,858

$1.46 MX$25.20

-2.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.02 IQD 1,331

$1.90 MX$32.87

-46.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 820

$2.08 MX$35.91

-69.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 932

$1.78 MX$30.71

-60.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 IQD 744

$2.19 MX$37.80

-73.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 IQD 1,085

$1.04 MX$17.99

-20.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 541

$1.08 MX$18.62

-62.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,458

$4.08 MX$70.6

-53.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.76 IQD 16.7K

$10.32 MX$178

23.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 IQD 3,892

$1.71 MX$29.61

73.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 IQD 4,947

$2.58 MX$44.54

46.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 IQD 516

$0.51 MX$8.81

-23.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.21 IQD 30.4K

$26.46 MX$458

-12.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.31 IQD 3,028

$3.26 MX$56.4

-29.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.21 IQD 2,891

$2.49 MX$43.09

-11.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 IQD 8,847

$3.25 MX$56.2

108.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.58 IQD 762

$1.31 MX$22.61

-55.73%

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

$13.3K IQD 17.4M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-56.19%

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

$23.2K IQD 30.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-0.91%

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

$56.6 IQD 74.1K

$82.9 MX$1,433

-31.72%

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

$25.19 IQD 33.0K

$22.22 MX$384

13.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.41 IQD 50.3K

$29.34 MX$507

30.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.07 IQD 48.5K

$51.6 MX$893

-28.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.48 IQD 20.3K

$18.32 MX$317

-15.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 IQD 10.2K

$5.07 MX$87.6

52.86%

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

$97.0 IQD 127.0K

$201 MX$3,473

-51.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,772 IQD 4.9M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-27.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.85 IQD 54.8K

$36.92 MX$639

13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.30 IQD 26.6K

$39.79 MX$688

-48.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$40.68 IQD 53.3K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-53.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$455 IQD 595.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-53.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$133 IQD 174.1K

$468 MX$8,090

-71.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 IQD 1.2M

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-44.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 IQD 878.0K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-45.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,581 IQD 2.1M

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-59.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-87.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$763 IQD 998.7K

$664 MX$11.5K

14.87%

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 Basra: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $455 in Basra and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Basra vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $213 vs $249 per month, with Basra 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

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

Basra and Playa del Carmen differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($742 vs $1,297 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Basra pays 15% 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: $455 in Basra versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Basra – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $742 in Basra versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Basra but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Basra 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 Basra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.