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: $962 in Basra versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,458 in Basra versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,955 in Basra versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Basra costs roughly 26% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Basra 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 IQD 6,028

$11.71 MX$199

-60.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.03 IQD 39.3K

$46.59 MX$791

-35.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.50 IQD 9,827

$11.65 MX$198

-35.62%

Cappuccino

$2.56 IQD 3,351

$4.09 MX$69.5

-37.41%

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

$0.46 IQD 604

$1.37 MX$23.34

-66.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 IQD 454

$0.83 MX$14.16

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 IQD 5,048

$3.35 MX$56.9

14.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 IQD 5,640

$6.91 MX$117

-37.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 IQD 1,460

$1.73 MX$29.33

-35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 IQD 844

$2.26 MX$38.39

-71.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.40 IQD 1,836

$1.77 MX$30.05

-20.90%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,452

$2.73 MX$46.41

-31.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.57 IQD 9,914

$9.18 MX$156

-17.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 IQD 8,353

$8.92 MX$151

-28.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.3K

$12.60 MX$214

11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.03 IQD 1,343

$3.02 MX$51.3

-65.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.57 MX$26.68

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 IQD 1,292

$2.13 MX$36.10

-53.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 904

$2.26 MX$38.46

-69.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 IQD 1,033

$2.00 MX$34.04

-60.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$2.06 MX$35.06

-69.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 IQD 1,146

$1.18 MX$20.04

-26.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 IQD 539

$1.20 MX$20.45

-65.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.12 IQD 2,779

$4.63 MX$78.7

-54.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.75 IQD 8,839

$10.69 MX$182

-36.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.10 IQD 4,058

$1.62 MX$27.50

91.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 IQD 5,020

$2.88 MX$48.93

32.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 716

$0.57 MX$9.74

-3.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.45 IQD 25.5K

$29.83 MX$507

-34.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.22 IQD 2,910

$5.45 MX$92.5

-59.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 IQD 3,059

$3.70 MX$62.9

-36.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 IQD 9,746

$5.98 MX$102

24.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.55 IQD 722

$1.55 MX$26.38

-64.52%

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

$13.2K IQD 17.3M

$22.3K MX$379.2K

-40.95%

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

$23.0K IQD 30.2M

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-11.20%

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

$49.68 IQD 65.1K

$89.1 MX$1,514

-44.26%

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

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

$25.04 MX$425

1.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.02 IQD 51.1K

$31.50 MX$535

23.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

$67.8 MX$1,151

-46.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.74 IQD 18.0K

$28.92 MX$491

-52.49%

Cinema Ticket

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

$5.05 MX$85.8

52.48%

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

$127 IQD 165.9K

$225 MX$3,820

-43.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,845 IQD 5.0M

$4,222 MX$71.7K

-8.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.73 IQD 65.1K

$47.44 MX$806

4.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.19 IQD 26.4K

$44.98 MX$764

-55.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 IQD 104.0K

$82.0 MX$1,392

-3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.95 IQD 54.9K

$92.1 MX$1,564

-54.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$469 IQD 614.4K

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-56.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 IQD 443.5K

$405 MX$6,884

-16.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 IQD 1.1M

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-55.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$628 IQD 822.0K

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-51.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,564 IQD 2.0M

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-60.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$800 IQD 1.0M

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-87.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$769 IQD 1.0M

$749 MX$12.7K

2.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

11.45

-50.48%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Basra: August 29, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $469 in Basra and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Basra pays 3% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Basra vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $277 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 34% in total monthly costs ($962 vs $1,293 including rent). Basra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 3% higher in Basra, 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: $469 in Basra versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% 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 $30.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Basra versus $1,293 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 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.