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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $842 in Mashhad versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,280 in Mashhad versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,718 in Mashhad versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 35% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 37% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.22 IQD 6,839

$11.73 MX$203

-55.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 IQD 47.0K

$41.62 MX$720

-13.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.60 IQD 9,956

$10.64 MX$184

-28.57%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,038

$3.52 MX$60.9

-12.50%

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

$0.36 IQD 474

$1.51 MX$26.12

-76.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 225

$0.97 MX$16.84

-82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.48 IQD 4,554

$2.95 MX$51.0

17.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 IQD 3,704

$4.45 MX$77.0

-36.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,777

$1.38 MX$23.93

-1.45%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,035

$1.89 MX$32.72

-58.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 IQD 2,180

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.83%

Eggs

$0.87 IQD 1,143

$2.51 MX$43.34

-65.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,750

$8.34 MX$144

-47.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.01 IQD 2,636

$8.34 MX$144

-75.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.94 IQD 3,848

$10.73 MX$186

-72.60%

Apples (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,284

$2.60 MX$45.04

-62.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 IQD 1,519

$1.46 MX$25.20

-20.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,274

$1.90 MX$32.87

-48.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 882

$2.08 MX$35.91

-67.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 IQD 854

$1.78 MX$30.71

-63.48%

Onion (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 830

$2.19 MX$37.80

-71.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 411

$1.04 MX$17.99

-70.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 296

$1.08 MX$18.62

-78.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.78 IQD 1,028

$4.08 MX$70.6

-80.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

$10.32 MX$178

32.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 IQD 2,355

$1.71 MX$29.61

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,834

$2.58 MX$44.54

-16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 477

$0.51 MX$8.81

-29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

$26.46 MX$458

17.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.85 IQD 5,045

$3.26 MX$56.4

18.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.47 IQD 1,928

$2.49 MX$43.09

-40.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$3.25 MX$56.2

139.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 699

$1.31 MX$22.61

-59.54%

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

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-34.65%

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

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-13.94%

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

$176 IQD 230.6K

$82.9 MX$1,433

112.53%

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

$25.50 IQD 33.4K

$22.22 MX$384

14.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.29 IQD 52.8K

$29.34 MX$507

37.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 IQD 47.7K

$51.6 MX$893

-29.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

$18.32 MX$317

-9.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

$5.07 MX$87.6

52.07%

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

$166 IQD 216.9K

$201 MX$3,473

-17.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-32.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

$36.92 MX$639

-22.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.05 IQD 39.3K

$39.79 MX$688

-24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.2 IQD 84.0K

$78.5 MX$1,357

-18.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

$87.1 MX$1,506

-50.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 IQD 315.7K

$973 MX$16.8K

-75.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.0K

$468 MX$8,090

-61.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 IQD 770.9K

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.7K

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-72.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 Mashhad: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $241 in Mashhad and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Mashhad vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $131 vs $249 per month, with Mashhad 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

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

Mashhad and Playa del Carmen differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($842 vs $1,297 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,263 in Mashhad and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $241 in Mashhad versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $166 in Mashhad versus $201 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 91% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $842 in Mashhad versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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, Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.