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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,160 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,589 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 77% more expensive than Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Kazimiyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$3.99 IQD 5,226

193.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$24.69 IQD 32.3K

68.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.81 IQD 8,912

56.24%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$2.64 IQD 3,455

33.33%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.37 IQD 483

308.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.21 IQD 280

361.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.89 IQD 3,779

2.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.81 IQD 3,683

58.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.33 IQD 1,741

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.78 IQD 1,015

142.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.58 IQD 2,064

3.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.72 IQD 2,258

45.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.48 IQD 5,860

86.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.64 IQD 6,082

79.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.08 IQD 17.1K

-17.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.15 IQD 1,510

126.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.15 IQD 1,505

26.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.05 IQD 1,380

80.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.75 IQD 979

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.68 IQD 892

161.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.67 IQD 875

226.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.68 IQD 884

52.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 IQD 720

96.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.88 IQD 2,460

117.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.86 IQD 2,438

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.07 IQD 2,714

24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.40 IQD 518

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$31.41 IQD 41.1K

-15.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.34 IQD 3,069

39.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.50 IQD 1,960

66.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$5.86 IQD 7,678

-44.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.54 IQD 704

142.59%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

61.48%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

18.61%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$76.2 IQD 99.8K

8.71%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

26.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$34.07 IQD 44.6K

-13.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$37.20 IQD 48.7K

38.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.68 IQD 21.8K

9.83%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.56 IQD 9,905

-32.94%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$152 IQD 199.3K

31.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,248 IQD 4.3M

60.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.60 IQD 34.8K

38.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.38 IQD 33.2K

56.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.1 IQD 78.7K

30.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$41.64 IQD 54.5K

109.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$247 IQD 322.9K

294.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$177 IQD 232.4K

163.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$572 IQD 748.4K

187.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$350 IQD 458.5K

248.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

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 2, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Al Kazimiyah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $157 per month, with Al Kazimiyah cheaper across the board.

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 Kazimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kazimiyah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,098 in Al Kazimiyah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in Al Kazimiyah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kazimiyah – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $732 in Al Kazimiyah – a 77% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $732 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kazimiyah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kazimiyah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kazimiyah is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Al Kazimiyah are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Al Kazimiyah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.