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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $636 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,024 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,413 in Al Kufah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 99% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Al Kufah 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.77 IQD 6,244

143.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$33.77 IQD 44.2K

39.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

51.53%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$3.14 IQD 4,115

26.75%

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

$0.26 IQD 344

215.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$3.77 IQD 4,940

-15.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$3.76 IQD 4,923

80.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.08 IQD 1,415

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.78 IQD 1,016

182.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.58 IQD 2,074

8.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.82 IQD 2,379

50.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$2.22 IQD 2,905

331.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.65 IQD 6,089

93.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$9.32 IQD 12.2K

37.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$0.75 IQD 978

285.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.09 IQD 1,426

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.60 IQD 788

258.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.57 IQD 741

296.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.51 IQD 665

288.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.33 IQD 431

503.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.17 IQD 221

623.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.54 IQD 714

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.54 IQD 2,015

195.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$13.57 IQD 17.8K

-23.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$2.25 IQD 2,947

-28.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$2.27 IQD 2,969

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.37 IQD 483

62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$2.34 IQD 3,061

130.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.57 IQD 2,058

137.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$7.57 IQD 9,912

-23.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.54 IQD 710

185.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

19.58%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

37.88%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$217 IQD 284.3K

-57.91%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$21.02 IQD 27.5K

19.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$22.80 IQD 29.9K

37.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$15.90 IQD 20.8K

322.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$10.15 IQD 13.3K

-52.12%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$72.9 IQD 95.4K

206.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$2,432 IQD 3.2M

73.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$10.09 IQD 13.2K

366.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$29.40 IQD 38.5K

50.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

308.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$35.38 IQD 46.3K

161.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$189 IQD 247.4K

462.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$254 IQD 332.2K

747.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$197 IQD 258.2K

545.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$1,321 IQD 1.7M

202.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$380 IQD 497.7K

1610.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,021 IQD 1.3M

-25.73%

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 Kufah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $189 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $158 per month, with Al Kufah 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 Kufah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Kufah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Al Kufah. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $189 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $636 in Al Kufah – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $636 in Al Kufah versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Kufah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Kufah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Kufah 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.

Expats usually find Al Kufah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.