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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $642 per month in Mosul vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,004 per month in Mosul vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,366 per month in Mosul vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosul is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mosul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 IQD 4,569

$11.60 MX$200

-69.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.06 IQD 25.0K

$47.11 MX$812

-59.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.21 IQD 8,131

$11.88 MX$205

-47.73%

Cappuccino

$1.62 IQD 2,125

$3.98 MX$68.6

-59.30%

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

$0.40 IQD 530

$1.43 MX$24.60

-72.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.16 IQD 214

$0.82 MX$14.22

-80.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 IQD 1,965

$3.19 MX$55.0

-52.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 IQD 2,057

$6.79 MX$117

-76.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 IQD 1,023

$1.68 MX$28.89

-53.57%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 IQD 964

$2.20 MX$37.88

-66.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,706

$1.71 MX$29.45

-23.98%

Eggs

$1.49 IQD 1,952

$2.74 MX$47.26

-45.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.69 IQD 4,829

$9.58 MX$165

-61.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 IQD 5,645

$9.01 MX$155

-52.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 IQD 15.7K

$12.81 MX$221

-6.32%

Apples (1kg)

$0.68 IQD 892

$2.89 MX$49.81

-76.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,388

$1.50 MX$25.81

-29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 963

$2.15 MX$37.03

-65.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 IQD 653

$2.26 MX$38.96

-77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.46 IQD 604

$1.98 MX$34.15

-76.77%

Onion (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 624

$1.99 MX$34.30

-75.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 IQD 551

$1.23 MX$21.28

-65.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 IQD 849

$1.20 MX$20.63

-45.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.90 IQD 2,484

$4.55 MX$78.5

-58.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.42 IQD 9,714

$10.37 MX$179

-28.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 IQD 2,522

$1.62 MX$27.91

19.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 IQD 2,564

$2.88 MX$49.67

-31.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.37 IQD 483

$0.60 MX$10.35

-38.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

$28.80 MX$497

166.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 IQD 1,977

$5.39 MX$92.9

-71.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 IQD 2,059

$3.73 MX$64.3

-57.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.64 IQD 6,070

$5.77 MX$99.5

-19.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.50 IQD 652

$1.54 MX$26.48

-67.53%

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

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

$22.5K MX$388.8K

-22.52%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-21.79%

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

$87.3 IQD 114.3K

$91.4 MX$1,576

-4.51%

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

$15.21 IQD 19.9K

$25.20 MX$435

-39.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.88 IQD 43.1K

$31.24 MX$539

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

$67.2 MX$1,159

-65.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

$29.11 MX$502

-12.64%

Cinema Ticket

$9.62 IQD 12.6K

$4.86 MX$83.8

97.94%

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

$196 IQD 256.5K

$224 MX$3,856

-12.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,583 IQD 4.7M

$4,229 MX$72.9K

-15.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

$47.10 MX$812

-73.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.83 IQD 24.7K

$44.29 MX$764

-57.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.21 IQD 35.6K

$80.1 MX$1,381

-66.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

$92.7 MX$1,598

-72.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$161 IQD 211.4K

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-84.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$116 IQD 152.1K

$390 MX$6,728

-70.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$277 IQD 363.2K

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-87.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 IQD 377.8K

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-77.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$811 IQD 1.1M

$4,001 MX$69.0K

-79.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$925 IQD 1.2M

$6,502 MX$112.1K

-85.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 IQD 637.1K

$758 MX$13.1K

-35.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Mosul: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $161 in Mosul versus $1,063 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 56% 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 $19.00 in Mosul versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $150 vs $276 – making Mosul the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $642 in Mosul, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 97% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $963 per month in Mosul and $1,899 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $642 in Mosul and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 166% less in Mosul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mosul, where all-in costs run around $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Mosul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $642 in Mosul to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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