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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $606 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $860 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,114 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 108% 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

$11.72 MX$203

$3.07 IQD 4,024

281.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$11.59 IQD 15.2K

261.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$5.08 IQD 6,651

106.89%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.47 IQD 1,930

144.22%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.40 IQD 522

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.20 IQD 260

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.96 IQD 3,875

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.95 IQD 3,868

49.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.32 IQD 1,735

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.76 IQD 1,001

147.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.34 IQD 1,759

16.42%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.81 IQD 2,367

44.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.52 IQD 5,913

84.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.90 IQD 6,414

70.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.43 IQD 13.7K

4.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.76 IQD 999

256.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.89 IQD 1,169

69.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.97 IQD 1,270

92.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.60 IQD 780

265.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.65 IQD 846

186.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.64 IQD 836

248.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.49 IQD 640

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.66 IQD 871

65.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.87 IQD 2,443

124.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$3.72 IQD 4,870

180.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.76 IQD 2,308

-5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.07 IQD 2,715

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.39 IQD 515

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.61 IQD 40.1K

-14.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.98 IQD 2,589

55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.19 IQD 1,559

101.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.63 IQD 9,993

-58.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.39 IQD 506

235.90%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$9,833 IQD 12.9M

203.15%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$18.2K IQD 23.8M

28.39%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$38.45 IQD 50.4K

111.39%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.23 IQD 22.6K

30.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$38.07 IQD 49.8K

-21.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$16.81 IQD 22.0K

214.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$8.99 IQD 11.8K

104.56%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$5.47 IQD 7,167

-10.05%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$92.0 IQD 120.5K

118.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$743 IQD 973.4K

596.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$19.82 IQD 26.0K

81.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.71 IQD 40.2K

30.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$20.23 IQD 26.5K

293.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$25.24 IQD 33.1K

242.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$140 IQD 183.4K

598.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$177 IQD 231.9K

165.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$241 IQD 315.3K

585.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$203 IQD 266.1K

492.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$389 IQD 509.3K

73.98%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $140 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 74% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $12.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $152 – 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 108%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $909 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $92.0 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% 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 $606, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.