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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,154 in Al Kazimiyah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,585 in Al Kazimiyah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 74% more expensive than in Al Kazimiyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al Kazimiyah 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$3.94 IQD 5,161

204.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

67.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.91 IQD 9,055

55.57%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.55 IQD 3,337

37.25%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.37 IQD 483

291.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.16 IQD 214

450.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.99 IQD 3,917

-1.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.86 IQD 3,741

57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.37 IQD 1,788

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.84 IQD 1,100

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.64 IQD 2,146

-4.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.80 IQD 2,357

39.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.42 IQD 5,790

87.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.78 IQD 6,259

76.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$13.42 IQD 17.6K

-20.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.20 IQD 1,578

117.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.21 IQD 1,585

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.00 IQD 1,313

96.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.73 IQD 961

186.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.64 IQD 841

189.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.62 IQD 814

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.63 IQD 829

63.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.56 IQD 737

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.88 IQD 2,457

118.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.84 IQD 2,416

-8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.15 IQD 2,822

17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.40 IQD 518

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.10 IQD 40.7K

-16.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.33 IQD 3,048

38.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.53 IQD 2,007

57.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.96 IQD 7,801

-45.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.57 IQD 752

131.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

57.84%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$19.9K IQD 26.1M

18.76%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$76.3 IQD 99.9K

7.47%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

31.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$34.12 IQD 44.7K

-11.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.07 IQD 47.2K

44.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

-35.58%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$151 IQD 197.3K

31.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,327 IQD 4.4M

60.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$27.55 IQD 36.1K

29.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.18 IQD 33.0K

60.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$62.0 IQD 81.2K

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$40.64 IQD 53.2K

118.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$241 IQD 315.8K

292.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$179 IQD 234.1K

165.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$580 IQD 759.4K

183.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$348 IQD 456.2K

247.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Kazimiyah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $241 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 $160 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,084 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Al Kazimiyah – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $723 in Al Kazimiyah versus $1,256 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 74% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.