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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $733 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,160 in 'aqrah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,588 in 'aqrah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 77% more than 'aqrah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and 'aqrah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, 'aqrah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.13 IQD 5,405

184.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$25.33 IQD 33.2K

64.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.94 IQD 9,082

53.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$2.56 IQD 3,354

37.50%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.36 IQD 478

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.21 IQD 270

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$2.86 IQD 3,746

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.79 IQD 3,656

59.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.36 IQD 1,784

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.84 IQD 1,099

125.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.60 IQD 2,096

2.50%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.81 IQD 2,372

38.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.38 IQD 5,736

90.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.74 IQD 6,201

75.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

-18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.14 IQD 1,487

128.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.15 IQD 1,507

26.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.05 IQD 1,379

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.69 IQD 906

201.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.69 IQD 905

157.97%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.68 IQD 893

222.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.67 IQD 877

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.52 IQD 675

107.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.88 IQD 2,466

117.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$2.17 IQD 2,838

18.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.39 IQD 513

30.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$31.09 IQD 40.7K

-14.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.28 IQD 2,988

42.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$1.52 IQD 1,994

63.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$6.14 IQD 8,041

-47.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.54 IQD 706

142.59%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

57.64%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

19.80%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$77.1 IQD 101.0K

7.46%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$17.98 IQD 23.5K

23.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$35.11 IQD 46.0K

-16.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

43.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

8.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$7.76 IQD 10.2K

-34.66%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$154 IQD 202.1K

30.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$3,257 IQD 4.3M

60.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$27.29 IQD 35.7K

35.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$25.64 IQD 33.6K

55.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

27.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$41.75 IQD 54.7K

108.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$242 IQD 316.5K

302.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$177 IQD 231.8K

164.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$581 IQD 760.9K

182.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$348 IQD 456.1K

250.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for 'aqrah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 77% 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,099 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $733 in 'aqrah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $733, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $733 versus $1,297 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.