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: $640 in Mashhad versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $931 in Mashhad versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,223 in Mashhad versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 49% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.67 IQD 6,120

$11.60 MX$199

-59.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

$47.11 MX$808

-27.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

$11.88 MX$204

-35.61%

Cappuccino

$3.08 IQD 4,035

$3.98 MX$68.2

-22.61%

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

$0.40 IQD 519

$1.43 MX$24.46

-72.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 IQD 312

$0.82 MX$14.14

-70.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.88 IQD 5,082

$3.19 MX$54.7

21.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.89 IQD 5,088

$6.79 MX$116

-42.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 IQD 1,371

$1.68 MX$28.72

-37.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,076

$2.20 MX$37.67

-62.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 IQD 2,067

$1.71 MX$29.29

-7.60%

Eggs

$0.81 IQD 1,063

$2.74 MX$46.99

-70.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 IQD 4,981

$9.58 MX$164

-60.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.04 IQD 2,676

$9.01 MX$154

-77.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$2.92 IQD 3,820

$12.81 MX$220

-77.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,325

$2.89 MX$49.52

-65.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 IQD 1,467

$1.50 MX$25.67

-25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 IQD 1,281

$2.15 MX$36.83

-54.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 889

$2.26 MX$38.74

-69.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 873

$1.98 MX$33.96

-66.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 837

$1.99 MX$34.11

-67.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.31 IQD 407

$1.23 MX$21.16

-74.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 274

$1.20 MX$20.52

-82.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.76 IQD 996

$4.55 MX$78.0

-83.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

$10.37 MX$178

30.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 IQD 2,799

$1.62 MX$27.76

32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 IQD 2,954

$2.88 MX$49.39

-21.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 IQD 2,947

$5.39 MX$92.4

-58.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 IQD 1,979

$3.73 MX$63.9

-59.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,851

$5.77 MX$98.9

30.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 857

$1.54 MX$26.34

-57.79%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$22.5K MX$386.6K

-16.05%

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

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

$26.1K MX$446.7K

-27.41%

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

$215 IQD 281.7K

$91.4 MX$1,567

135.43%

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

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

$25.20 MX$432

-15.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

$31.24 MX$536

35.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

$4.86 MX$83.4

118.11%

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

$165 IQD 216.6K

$224 MX$3,834

-26.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

$4,229 MX$72.5K

-16.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

$47.10 MX$808

-37.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

$44.29 MX$759

-13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

$80.1 MX$1,373

-6.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

$92.7 MX$1,589

-49.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.12

11.45

-64.02%

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

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $34.00 in Mashhad vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $127 vs $276 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 98% in total monthly costs ($640 vs $1,266 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $960 in Mashhad and $1,899 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.

Childcare runs $165 in Mashhad versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,266 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 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.