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 $614 per month in Mosul vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $991 per month in Mosul vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,368 per month in Mosul vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mosul is about 52% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Mosul and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mosul 54% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 IQD 4,552

$11.87 MX$204

-70.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.03 IQD 24.9K

$42.90 MX$736

-55.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 IQD 7,948

$10.65 MX$183

-43.00%

Cappuccino

$1.55 IQD 2,027

$3.45 MX$59.2

-55.07%

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

$0.38 IQD 492

$1.50 MX$25.81

-74.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 271

$0.95 MX$16.28

-77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 IQD 2,060

$3.03 MX$51.9

-48.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 IQD 2,062

$4.61 MX$79.1

-65.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 IQD 1,273

$1.38 MX$23.61

-29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 IQD 1,069

$1.85 MX$31.70

-55.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 IQD 1,702

$1.61 MX$27.65

-19.25%

Eggs

$1.54 IQD 2,011

$2.59 MX$44.51

-40.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.37 IQD 4,416

$8.26 MX$142

-59.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 IQD 5,199

$8.37 MX$144

-52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

$10.66 MX$183

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$0.69 IQD 907

$2.63 MX$45.12

-73.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 IQD 1,391

$1.49 MX$25.53

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 871

$1.92 MX$32.94

-65.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.44 IQD 573

$2.09 MX$35.81

-78.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 IQD 635

$1.86 MX$31.88

-74.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 IQD 700

$2.26 MX$38.81

-76.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 IQD 580

$1.06 MX$18.23

-58.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 IQD 687

$1.09 MX$18.67

-52.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.88 IQD 2,468

$4.15 MX$71.2

-54.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

$10.39 MX$178

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 IQD 1,815

$1.72 MX$29.59

-19.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 IQD 2,483

$2.61 MX$44.85

-27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 520

$0.54 MX$9.30

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.6 IQD 99.0K

$26.94 MX$462

180.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 IQD 1,977

$3.13 MX$53.7

-51.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 IQD 1,999

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.61 IQD 6,035

$3.15 MX$54.1

46.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.53 IQD 691

$1.27 MX$21.88

-58.27%

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

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-42.39%

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

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-15.01%

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

$102 IQD 133.7K

$83.0 MX$1,425

22.96%

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

$15.38 IQD 20.1K

$22.71 MX$390

-32.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.50 IQD 38.6K

$29.46 MX$506

0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.36 IQD 29.3K

$51.0 MX$875

-56.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.31 IQD 27.9K

$18.33 MX$315

16.26%

Cinema Ticket

$9.82 IQD 12.9K

$4.93 MX$84.5

99.19%

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

$181 IQD 237.3K

$197 MX$3,386

-8.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-37.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.42 IQD 20.2K

$36.90 MX$633

-58.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.47 IQD 25.5K

$39.89 MX$685

-51.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

$80.0 MX$1,373

-66.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$25.07 IQD 32.8K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-71.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 IQD 197.9K

$956 MX$16.4K

-84.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.9 IQD 113.7K

$477 MX$8,189

-81.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$269 IQD 351.7K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-83.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$283 IQD 371.0K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-76.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$793 IQD 1.0M

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-79.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$917 IQD 1.2M

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-85.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$480 IQD 628.2K

$667 MX$11.4K

-28.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.33

11.42

25.48%

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

Last update for Mosul: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $151 in Mosul versus $956 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 39% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $146 vs $250 – 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: $614 in Mosul, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 107% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $922 per month in Mosul and $1,906 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 $614 in Mosul and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% 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 $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $614 in Mosul to $1,271 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.