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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $646 in Duhok versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,057 in Duhok versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Duhok versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Duhok costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Duhok 52% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.93 IQD 5,146

$11.87 MX$207

-66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.45 IQD 25.4K

$42.90 MX$749

-54.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.94 IQD 9,081

$10.65 MX$186

-34.84%

Cappuccino

$2.53 IQD 3,311

$3.45 MX$60.2

-26.67%

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

$0.42 IQD 555

$1.50 MX$26.24

-72.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 237

$0.95 MX$16.56

-81.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 IQD 1,532

$3.03 MX$52.8

-61.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,524

$4.61 MX$80.4

-58.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,783

$1.38 MX$24.01

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 IQD 1,124

$1.85 MX$32.24

-53.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,060

$1.61 MX$28.11

-2.48%

Eggs

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$2.59 MX$45.26

-27.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.24 IQD 6,857

$8.26 MX$144

-36.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.93 IQD 3,826

$8.37 MX$146

-64.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 IQD 16.9K

$10.66 MX$186

21.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,469

$2.63 MX$45.89

-57.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 IQD 1,565

$1.49 MX$25.96

-19.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,070

$1.92 MX$33.50

-57.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 929

$2.09 MX$36.41

-66.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.86 MX$32.42

-62.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 910

$2.26 MX$39.47

-69.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.73 IQD 957

$1.06 MX$18.54

-31.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 732

$1.09 MX$18.98

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$4.15 MX$72.4

-55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$10.39 MX$181

21.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 IQD 1,884

$1.72 MX$30.09

-16.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 IQD 2,575

$2.61 MX$45.60

-24.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 IQD 431

$0.54 MX$9.46

-38.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.86 IQD 20.7K

$26.94 MX$470

-41.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.23 IQD 2,919

$3.13 MX$54.6

-28.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,017

$2.51 MX$43.82

-38.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.08 IQD 7,949

$3.15 MX$55.0

93.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 IQD 861

$1.27 MX$22.25

-48.03%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$30.4K MX$530.1K

-37.32%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$23.6K MX$411.3K

-16.00%

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

$93.8 IQD 122.7K

$83.0 MX$1,449

13.04%

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

$9.64 IQD 12.6K

$22.71 MX$396

-57.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.60 IQD 38.7K

$29.46 MX$514

0.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 IQD 67.8K

$51.0 MX$890

1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.86 IQD 22.1K

$18.33 MX$320

-8.02%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 IQD 9,737

$4.93 MX$86.0

50.91%

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

$115 IQD 150.0K

$197 MX$3,444

-41.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,332 IQD 4.4M

$5,280 MX$92.1K

-36.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

$36.90 MX$644

-72.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

$39.89 MX$696

-50.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$30.07 IQD 39.3K

$80.0 MX$1,396

-62.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.79 IQD 25.9K

$89.5 MX$1,561

-77.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 235.3K

$956 MX$16.7K

-81.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$124 IQD 162.5K

$477 MX$8,327

-73.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$367 IQD 479.6K

$1,646 MX$28.7K

-77.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 IQD 452.3K

$1,225 MX$21.4K

-71.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$471 IQD 615.6K

$3,918 MX$68.4K

-87.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$394 IQD 515.0K

$6,459 MX$112.7K

-93.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$430 IQD 562.4K

$667 MX$11.6K

-35.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

11.42

25.48%

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

Last update for Duhok: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $180 in Duhok and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 55% 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: $19.00 in Duhok vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $174 vs $250 per month, with Duhok 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

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

Duhok and Playa del Carmen differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $1,271 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Playa del Carmen earns 55% less. 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: $180 in Duhok versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $115 in Duhok versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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.

Safety-wise, Duhok and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.