Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and 'aqrah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and 'aqrah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $739 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,157 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,575 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and 'aqrah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, 'aqrah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.17 IQD 5,454

187.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$24.73 IQD 32.4K

68.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.71 IQD 8,791

60.21%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.54 IQD 3,331

37.80%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.39 IQD 517

271.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.18 IQD 240

388.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.90 IQD 3,792

1.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.89 IQD 3,783

56.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.36 IQD 1,776

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.80 IQD 1,044

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.66 IQD 2,171

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.79 IQD 2,340

40.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.54 IQD 5,941

82.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.58 IQD 6,000

84.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$13.11 IQD 17.2K

-18.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.20 IQD 1,566

117.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.19 IQD 1,565

21.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.02 IQD 1,330

92.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.69 IQD 900

202.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.65 IQD 853

184.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.66 IQD 868

228.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.64 IQD 834

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.56 IQD 729

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.95 IQD 2,554

110.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.84 IQD 2,406

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.17 IQD 2,842

16.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.37 IQD 478

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

-16.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.32 IQD 3,035

39.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.47 IQD 1,929

63.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.92 IQD 7,748

-45.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.57 IQD 750

131.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

54.74%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.3K IQD 26.5M

16.75%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$76.5 IQD 100.1K

7.23%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.72 IQD 23.2K

29.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$34.91 IQD 45.7K

-13.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.87 IQD 48.3K

40.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

8.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.86 IQD 10.3K

-36.64%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$153 IQD 200.3K

29.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

63.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$26.64 IQD 34.9K

33.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

58.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

30.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$40.78 IQD 53.4K

118.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$242 IQD 317.0K

291.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$176 IQD 230.4K

169.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$578 IQD 756.8K

184.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$339 IQD 443.7K

257.26%

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 %)

11.42

5.67

101.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in 'aqrah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $25.00 in 'aqrah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $158 – making 'aqrah 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 70% more than 'aqrah, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,109 in 'aqrah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in 'aqrah, 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $739 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% less in 'aqrah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in 'aqrah, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In 'aqrah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. 'aqrah costs $739 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with 'aqrah. 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.