Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Hillah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Hillah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $791 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,214 in Al Hillah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,636 in Al Hillah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 60% more than Al Hillah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Hillah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Al Hillah 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.86 IQD 6,367

138.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$30.43 IQD 39.8K

54.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$5.95 IQD 7,788

99.66%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.05 IQD 3,993

30.49%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.37 IQD 480

286.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.22 IQD 289

272.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$2.83 IQD 3,705

12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.93 IQD 5,144

72.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.09 IQD 1,426

54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.78 IQD 1,018

182.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.53 IQD 2,009

11.76%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.81 IQD 2,368

51.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.97 IQD 5,203

141.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.74 IQD 6,202

90.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$14.24 IQD 18.6K

-10.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$1.18 IQD 1,549

144.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.08 IQD 1,412

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.06 IQD 1,393

102.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.78 IQD 1,017

189.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.66 IQD 866

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.64 IQD 835

210.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.56 IQD 730

119.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.59 IQD 768

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.83 IQD 2,400

148.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-23.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.24 IQD 2,937

-27.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.20 IQD 2,875

30.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.39 IQD 513

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$64.3 IQD 84.2K

-55.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.26 IQD 2,960

138.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.52 IQD 1,988

145.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$3.46 IQD 4,532

66.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.57 IQD 749

170.18%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$17.1K IQD 22.4M

31.64%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

36.95%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

19.86%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.14 IQD 19.8K

66.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$38.51 IQD 50.4K

-18.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$22.95 IQD 30.1K

192.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$19.40 IQD 25.4K

50.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$7.55 IQD 9,889

-35.63%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$94.9 IQD 124.3K

135.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$766 IQD 1.0M

452.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$22.31 IQD 29.2K

111.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$24.74 IQD 32.4K

79.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$67.1 IQD 87.8K

19.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$47.37 IQD 62.0K

95.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$281 IQD 368.6K

277.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$180 IQD 235.5K

116.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$495 IQD 648.4K

334.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$291 IQD 380.8K

337.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,717 IQD 2.2M

133.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$555 IQD 726.2K

1072.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$514 IQD 673.3K

47.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.12

177.91%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al Hillah: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $281 in Al Hillah. 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 47% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $30.00 in Al Hillah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $186 – making Al Hillah 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 Hillah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 60%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,187 in Al Hillah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 123% less in Al Hillah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $94.9 in Al Hillah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hillah, where all-in costs run around $791, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Al Hillah 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 Hillah – 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 Al Hillah. 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.