Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ad Diwaniyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ad Diwaniyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $620 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $873 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,127 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 105% more than Ad Diwaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.01 IQD 3,943

294.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$11.58 IQD 15.2K

270.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.04 IQD 6,602

111.31%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.47 IQD 1,926

134.69%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.37 IQD 484

305.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.19 IQD 245

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.87 IQD 3,756

5.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.95 IQD 3,867

56.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.37 IQD 1,796

0.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.74 IQD 975

150.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.35 IQD 1,774

19.26%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.73 IQD 2,265

49.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.59 IQD 6,009

79.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.00 IQD 6,546

67.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.40 IQD 13.6K

2.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.80 IQD 1,048

228.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.97 IQD 1,266

53.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.90 IQD 1,184

113.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.56 IQD 727

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.65 IQD 857

186.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.66 IQD 868

242.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.49 IQD 643

116.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.62 IQD 811

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.93 IQD 2,534

115.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.09 IQD 9,290

46.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.79 IQD 2,338

-3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.18 IQD 2,859

19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.40 IQD 519

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$30.85 IQD 40.4K

-12.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.96 IQD 2,567

59.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.24 IQD 1,630

102.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-59.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.38 IQD 504

234.21%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$9,802 IQD 12.8M

209.87%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

29.47%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$38.14 IQD 49.9K

117.62%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

32.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$38.65 IQD 50.6K

-23.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$17.24 IQD 22.6K

195.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$9.01 IQD 11.8K

103.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$5.51 IQD 7,219

-10.53%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$91.8 IQD 120.1K

115.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$756 IQD 989.9K

598.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$19.63 IQD 25.7K

87.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.39 IQD 39.8K

31.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$19.73 IQD 25.8K

305.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

261.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$138 IQD 180.1K

595.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$181 IQD 237.3K

163.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$237 IQD 310.8K

593.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$196 IQD 256.5K

525.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$743 IQD 972.5K

427.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$298 IQD 389.6K

2070.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$482 IQD 631.3K

38.36%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $138 in Ad Diwaniyah. 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 38% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $160 – making Ad Diwaniyah 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 Ad Diwaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $930 in Ad Diwaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ad Diwaniyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $91.8 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 56% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ad Diwaniyah, where all-in costs run around $620, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Ad Diwaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ad Diwaniyah – 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 Ad Diwaniyah. 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.