Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mosul and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Mosul: $573 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

28

Cost of Living Index in Mosul
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Mosul Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index

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Mosul

🇮🇶 Iraq

$573

/mo nomad

Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mosul and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mosul and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $573 per month in Mosul vs $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosul $573
Playa del Carmen $1,204

A couple spends around $906 per month in Mosul vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosul $906
Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $1,239 per month in Mosul vs $2,959 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosul $1,239
Playa del Carmen $2,959

Mosul is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Mosul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 58% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.07 IQD 6,154

$10.92 MX$205

-62.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.30 IQD 24.6K

$43.37 MX$814

-62.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.21 IQD 7,870

$11.78 MX$221

-55.77%

Cappuccino

$1.44 IQD 2,171

$3.81 MX$71.5

-62.20%

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

$0.37 IQD 552

$1.28 MX$24.07

-71.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 241

$0.78 MX$14.70

-79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 IQD 2,045

$3.17 MX$59.5

-57.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.30 IQD 1,965

$4.93 MX$92.7

-73.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.72 IQD 1,086

$1.41 MX$26.40

-48.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.63 IQD 955

$2.22 MX$41.62

-71.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 IQD 1,645

$1.42 MX$26.61

-23.24%

Eggs

$1.35 IQD 2,045

$2.52 MX$47.36

-46.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.05 IQD 4,611

$7.26 MX$136

-57.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 IQD 5,481

$7.70 MX$144

-52.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.20 IQD 15.4K

$12.69 MX$238

-19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$0.60 IQD 900

$2.78 MX$52.3

-78.42%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 IQD 1,347

$1.37 MX$25.68

-35.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 915

$2.55 MX$47.89

-76.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.43 IQD 650

$2.12 MX$39.86

-79.72%

Potato (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 617

$1.94 MX$36.39

-78.87%

Onion (1kg)

$0.41 IQD 621

$1.89 MX$35.41

-78.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 IQD 544

$1.15 MX$21.53

-68.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 785

$1.18 MX$22.13

-55.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.67 IQD 2,528

$4.30 MX$80.6

-61.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.47 IQD 9,779

$9.95 MX$187

-34.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 IQD 2,222

$1.58 MX$29.73

-6.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 IQD 2,516

$2.67 MX$50.1

-37.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.34 IQD 518

$0.55 MX$10.39

-38.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.0 IQD 113.4K

$26.62 MX$500

181.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.29 IQD 1,954

$4.97 MX$93.3

-74.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 IQD 2,051

$3.33 MX$62.5

-59.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 IQD 6,032

$5.36 MX$101

-25.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.44 IQD 661

$1.44 MX$27.11

-69.44%

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

$15.0K IQD 22.7M

$20.7K MX$388.0K

-27.46%

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

$17.3K IQD 26.2M

$23.5K MX$440.5K

-26.17%

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

$76.1 IQD 115.0K

$84.8 MX$1,592

-10.25%

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

$12.24 IQD 18.5K

$23.41 MX$439

-47.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.78 IQD 35.9K

$28.66 MX$538

-17.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.66 IQD 31.2K

$57.1 MX$1,071

-63.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.72 IQD 34.3K

$28.91 MX$543

-21.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.09 IQD 12.2K

$5.14 MX$96.5

57.39%

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

$172 IQD 259.6K

$207 MX$3,878

-16.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,729 IQD 4.1M

$3,927 MX$73.7K

-30.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.79 IQD 16.3K

$43.35 MX$814

-75.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.25 IQD 24.6K

$41.44 MX$778

-60.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.17 IQD 35.0K

$74.2 MX$1,393

-68.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.08 IQD 33.4K

$89.3 MX$1,676

-75.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$142 IQD 215.2K

$980 MX$18.4K

-85.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$103 IQD 155.9K

$381 MX$7,150

-72.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$247 IQD 373.8K

$1,708 MX$32.1K

-85.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$252 IQD 380.7K

$1,075 MX$20.2K

-76.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$730 IQD 1.1M

$3,943 MX$74.0K

-81.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$502 IQD 758.5K

$6,158 MX$115.6K

-91.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$420 IQD 634.2K

$735 MX$13.8K

-42.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.53

11.45

-77.90%

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

Last update for Mosul: October 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mosul

$127 22.2%

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2% 99.9% $127

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mosul

$112 19.6%

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4% 22.1% $25

Accommodation & Living

Mosul

$103 18%

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6% 269% $278

Getting Around

Mosul

$84 14.7%

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2% 40.3% $34

Eating Out

Mosul

$77 13.4%

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8% 163% $125

Sport & Entertainment

Mosul

$37 6.4%

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6% 82.7% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Mosul

$33 5.7%

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3% 243% $79

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $142 in Mosul versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 75% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $16 in Mosul versus $43 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $127 vs $255 – making Mosul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇶 Mosul

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🕒 Local time

02:31 2:31 AM

18:31 6:31 PM

8 h behind Mosul

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,683,000

149,923

💱 Currency

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

Mexican Peso MXN $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IQD – Iraqi Dinar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇶 Iraqi Dinar (ع.د)

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

USD to IQD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mosul Playa del Carmen 11,800 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Mosul
Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $573 in Mosul, $1,204 in Playa del Carmen – Mosul comes out roughly 52% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $860 per month in Mosul and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mosul, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $142 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $573 in Mosul and $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. That makes Mosul about 52% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Mosul, where all-in costs run around $573, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Mosul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mosul – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mosul. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.