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 $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Duhok versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,437 in Duhok versus $3,095 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 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 IQD 4,994

$11.95 MX$209

-68.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

$41.94 MX$733

-55.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.18 IQD 9,392

$10.42 MX$182

-31.09%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,452

$3.51 MX$61.4

-24.79%

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

$0.40 IQD 522

$1.52 MX$26.50

-73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 233

$0.91 MX$15.91

-80.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 IQD 1,482

$3.04 MX$53.1

-62.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 IQD 2,449

$4.37 MX$76.4

-57.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 IQD 1,786

$1.42 MX$24.84

-3.52%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,067

$1.83 MX$32.00

-55.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 IQD 2,050

$1.63 MX$28.57

-3.68%

Eggs

$1.88 IQD 2,462

$2.54 MX$44.38

-25.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.22 IQD 6,825

$8.57 MX$150

-39.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 IQD 3,840

$8.49 MX$148

-65.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

$10.80 MX$189

16.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,460

$2.75 MX$48.14

-59.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,494

$1.44 MX$25.10

-20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,071

$1.89 MX$32.97

-56.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.75 IQD 977

$2.17 MX$37.93

-65.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 939

$1.78 MX$31.10

-59.55%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 924

$2.22 MX$38.87

-68.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.77 IQD 1,011

$1.07 MX$18.68

-28.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 726

$1.08 MX$18.87

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,450

$4.15 MX$72.5

-54.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

$10.45 MX$183

16.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,802

$1.74 MX$30.47

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 IQD 2,610

$2.58 MX$45.11

-22.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 IQD 460

$0.51 MX$8.97

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

$25.94 MX$453

-38.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 IQD 3,079

$3.21 MX$56.1

-26.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$2.50 MX$43.73

-39.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 IQD 7,901

$3.19 MX$55.7

89.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 IQD 835

$1.26 MX$21.96

-49.21%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

$29.7K MX$518.8K

-36.49%

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

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

$23.7K MX$413.9K

-16.88%

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

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

$82.0 MX$1,434

13.68%

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

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

$22.73 MX$397

-56.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

$29.42 MX$514

3.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

$52.2 MX$912

-0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

$18.45 MX$322

-8.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

$4.93 MX$86.2

55.78%

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

$112 IQD 146.9K

$202 MX$3,526

-44.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

$5,217 MX$91.2K

-38.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

$35.93 MX$628

-72.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

$40.33 MX$705

-51.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

$79.9 MX$1,396

-62.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

$89.3 MX$1,561

-77.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.5K

$948 MX$16.6K

-80.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$123 IQD 160.4K

$465 MX$8,132

-73.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$374 IQD 489.8K

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-77.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$345 IQD 450.6K

$1,193 MX$20.8K

-71.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$460 IQD 601.6K

$3,933 MX$68.7K

-88.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$385 IQD 503.8K

$6,428 MX$112.3K

-94.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$431 IQD 564.3K

$658 MX$11.5K

-34.46%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $181 in Duhok and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 53% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $172 vs $252 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 95% in total monthly costs ($646 vs $1,259 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 53% 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: $181 in Duhok versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $112 in Duhok versus $202 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 47% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,259 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 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.