Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-'amarah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-'amarah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $681 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,090 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,499 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 89% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.95 IQD 5,175

202.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$24.93 IQD 32.7K

71.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.95 IQD 9,106

52.37%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$2.57 IQD 3,369

40.86%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.37 IQD 481

297.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.19 IQD 250

394.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.87 IQD 3,756

7.67%

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

$1.86 IQD 2,442

-23.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.75 IQD 979

150.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.09 IQD 1,427

49.54%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.50 IQD 1,963

76.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.41 IQD 5,774

86.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.69 IQD 6,150

76.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.07 IQD 17.1K

-15.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.86 IQD 1,122

208.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.08 IQD 1,415

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.89 IQD 1,168

123.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.39 IQD 517

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.74 IQD 971

141.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.34 IQD 450

541.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.62 IQD 817

74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.47 IQD 618

121.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.85 IQD 2,430

114.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.82 IQD 2,385

-4.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.10 IQD 2,752

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.37 IQD 479

40.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$30.84 IQD 40.4K

-12.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.69 IQD 2,214

85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.55 IQD 2,025

54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.16 IQD 8,067

-49.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.33 IQD 434

284.85%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$19.3K IQD 25.2M

60.33%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

16.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$78.3 IQD 102.6K

4.75%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

29.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$34.87 IQD 45.7K

-14.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$22.48 IQD 29.4K

130.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$16.71 IQD 21.9K

11.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.68 IQD 10.1K

-35.29%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$150 IQD 196.3K

32.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,269 IQD 4.3M

61.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$26.78 IQD 35.1K

35.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$25.37 IQD 33.2K

57.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$61.7 IQD 80.8K

29.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

117.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$320 IQD 419.8K

200.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$130 IQD 170.2K

257.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$446 IQD 584.3K

257.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$343 IQD 449.7K

252.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$574 IQD 752.3K

586.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$505 IQD 661.2K

42.74%

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 Al-'amarah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $320 in Al-'amarah. 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 43% 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 $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $153 – making Al-'amarah 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 Al-'amarah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 89%, 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 $1,022 in Al-'amarah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 64% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $25.00 in Al-'amarah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-'amarah, where all-in costs run around $681, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Al-'amarah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-'amarah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al-'amarah. 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.