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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $621 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $872 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,123 in Ad Diwaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% 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 4% lower, Ad Diwaniyah 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.04 IQD 3,984

292.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$11.37 IQD 14.9K

275.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$5.31 IQD 6,963

99.44%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.49 IQD 1,948

142.95%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.40 IQD 521

267.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.19 IQD 249

394.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.97 IQD 3,886

4.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.81 IQD 3,678

58.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.36 IQD 1,785

5.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.75 IQD 983

150.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.35 IQD 1,768

20.74%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.74 IQD 2,284

51.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.40 IQD 5,762

86.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.05 IQD 6,621

64.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.21 IQD 13.4K

8.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.81 IQD 1,067

227.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.92 IQD 1,201

63.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.89 IQD 1,172

123.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.60 IQD 787

246.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.64 IQD 844

179.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.62 IQD 816

251.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.45 IQD 586

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.66 IQD 859

57.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.96 IQD 2,565

102.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.02 IQD 9,199

45.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.82 IQD 2,389

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.15 IQD 2,820

16.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.36 IQD 474

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.64 IQD 40.1K

-11.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.94 IQD 2,542

61.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.25 IQD 1,632

92.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-60.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.38 IQD 498

234.21%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$9,902 IQD 13.0M

211.86%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$17.9K IQD 23.4M

30.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

118.40%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.19 IQD 22.5K

30.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$38.47 IQD 50.4K

-22.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$17.10 IQD 22.4K

203.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$8.85 IQD 11.6K

110.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$5.62 IQD 7,364

-11.57%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$92.9 IQD 121.7K

113.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$738 IQD 966.2K

614.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$20.20 IQD 26.5K

79.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$30.87 IQD 40.4K

29.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$20.14 IQD 26.4K

296.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$25.08 IQD 32.9K

254.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$138 IQD 180.2K

600.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$181 IQD 237.2K

156.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$241 IQD 315.1K

563.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$199 IQD 261.0K

506.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$757 IQD 991.2K

421.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$302 IQD 395.4K

2036.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$481 IQD 630.1K

49.79%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ad Diwaniyah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 50% 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 $11.00 in Ad Diwaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $159 – 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 107%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $931 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 $198 per month in Playa del Carmen and $92.9 in Ad Diwaniyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 58% 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 $621, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.