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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $678 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,552 in Al-'amarah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 91% more than Al-'amarah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-'amarah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al-'amarah 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$204

$3.93 IQD 5,146

198.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$725

$24.54 IQD 32.1K

70.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$181

$6.80 IQD 8,903

53.09%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.6

$2.67 IQD 3,492

35.21%

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

$1.46 MX$25.28

$0.39 IQD 511

274.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.18 IQD 242

438.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.8

$2.95 IQD 3,857

-1.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$80.2

$2.82 IQD 3,691

63.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.81 IQD 2,377

-20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.98

$0.78 IQD 1,022

143.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.18

$1.08 IQD 1,412

45.37%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.73

$1.55 IQD 2,031

70.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$146

$4.42 IQD 5,791

90.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$149

$4.82 IQD 6,306

78.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$191

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

-16.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.91

$0.86 IQD 1,132

213.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.15

$1.04 IQD 1,363

45.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$33.22

$0.84 IQD 1,100

127.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.69

$0.39 IQD 512

456.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.53

$0.71 IQD 932

163.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.76

$0.34 IQD 448

555.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.76

$0.67 IQD 877

61.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.63

$0.47 IQD 609

127.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$72.2

$1.87 IQD 2,454

122.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.20

$1.79 IQD 2,350

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$2.18 IQD 2,851

16.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.61

$0.39 IQD 511

41.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$456

$30.51 IQD 40.0K

-13.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$1.70 IQD 2,224

88.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.73

$1.49 IQD 1,950

65.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.5

$6.02 IQD 7,882

-46.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.91

$0.31 IQD 402

325.81%

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

$30.2K MX$523.3K

$19.1K IQD 25.0M

58.21%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

17.13%

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

$81.4 MX$1,412

$78.8 IQD 103.2K

3.18%

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

$22.41 MX$389

$17.34 IQD 22.7K

29.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$520

$35.01 IQD 45.8K

-14.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$23.23 IQD 30.4K

121.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

$16.64 IQD 21.8K

10.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$89.6

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

-32.99%

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

$202 MX$3,501

$152 IQD 199.5K

32.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$92.2K

$3,230 IQD 4.2M

64.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$618

$27.04 IQD 35.4K

31.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$701

$25.36 IQD 33.2K

59.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,365

$60.4 IQD 79.1K

30.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,507

$40.98 IQD 53.7K

111.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.5K

$331 IQD 433.3K

187.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,298

$134 IQD 175.3K

257.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$28.1K

$444 IQD 581.9K

264.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.2K

$351 IQD 459.4K

248.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.6K

$568 IQD 743.9K

605.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.7K

$496 IQD 649.7K

35.63%

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 15, 2026

Last update for Al-'amarah: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $331 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 36% 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 $25.00 in Al-'amarah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $154 – 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 91%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,017 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 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 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 $678, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.