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: $859 in Mashhad versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,281 in Mashhad versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,703 in Mashhad versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mashhad costs roughly 32% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mashhad 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.50 IQD 7,205

$11.99 MX$210

-54.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.68 IQD 46.7K

$41.78 MX$733

-14.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 IQD 9,799

$10.75 MX$189

-30.42%

Cappuccino

$2.98 IQD 3,900

$3.50 MX$61.3

-14.86%

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

$0.39 IQD 512

$1.45 MX$25.41

-73.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 284

$0.88 MX$15.52

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 IQD 4,423

$2.95 MX$51.7

14.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 IQD 3,849

$4.51 MX$79.1

-34.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 IQD 1,735

$1.43 MX$25.12

-7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 IQD 1,081

$1.84 MX$32.23

-54.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 IQD 2,101

$1.57 MX$27.51

1.91%

Eggs

$0.87 IQD 1,134

$2.51 MX$44.06

-65.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.39 IQD 5,747

$8.28 MX$145

-46.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.03 IQD 2,657

$8.43 MX$148

-75.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.03 IQD 3,966

$10.68 MX$187

-71.63%

Apples (1kg)

$0.97 IQD 1,275

$2.61 MX$45.76

-62.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,528

$1.44 MX$25.22

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.01 IQD 1,324

$1.96 MX$34.41

-48.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.72 IQD 947

$2.09 MX$36.74

-65.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 913

$1.85 MX$32.47

-62.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 893

$2.17 MX$38.02

-68.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 IQD 376

$1.03 MX$18.09

-71.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.17 IQD 228

$1.07 MX$18.84

-84.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.77 IQD 1,013

$4.10 MX$72.0

-81.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

$10.17 MX$178

33.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,393

$1.68 MX$29.38

8.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 IQD 2,748

$2.53 MX$44.31

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 484

$0.51 MX$8.93

-27.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

$26.04 MX$457

21.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 IQD 5,114

$3.23 MX$56.7

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 IQD 2,018

$2.41 MX$42.19

-36.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.52 IQD 9,848

$3.23 MX$56.6

132.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.57 IQD 747

$1.32 MX$23.17

-56.82%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-31.38%

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

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-17.11%

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

$177 IQD 232.4K

$82.0 MX$1,439

116.39%

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

$26.31 IQD 34.5K

$22.95 MX$403

14.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

$30.11 MX$528

32.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.85 IQD 48.3K

$52.0 MX$912

-29.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.48 IQD 21.6K

$18.53 MX$325

-11.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 IQD 9,977

$4.98 MX$87.3

53.01%

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

$166 IQD 216.8K

$197 MX$3,463

-16.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,570 IQD 4.7M

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-33.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.86 IQD 37.8K

$35.60 MX$624

-18.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.13 IQD 40.8K

$40.33 MX$707

-22.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

$78.8 MX$1,381

-17.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.92 IQD 56.2K

$88.9 MX$1,560

-51.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 322.8K

$947 MX$16.6K

-73.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.6K

$474 MX$8,314

-61.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 IQD 764.5K

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-64.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 447.0K

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-71.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $247 in Mashhad and $947 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 $130 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 46% in total monthly costs ($859 vs $1,256 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,289 in Mashhad and $1,884 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: $247 in Mashhad versus $947 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 $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 91% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Mashhad versus $1,256 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 46% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.