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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $667 in Al Kufah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,063 in Al Kufah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,460 in Al Kufah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 89% more expensive than in Al Kufah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Al Kufah 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$5.30 IQD 6,938

121.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

15.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.45 IQD 9,759

41.07%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.96 IQD 3,871

21.28%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.36 IQD 476

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.19 IQD 244

384.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.50 IQD 4,580

-15.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.88 IQD 3,773

53.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.12 IQD 1,470

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.61 IQD 801

208.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.60 IQD 2,096

-2.50%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.75 IQD 2,290

49.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$2.30 IQD 3,017

261.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$2.96 IQD 3,882

182.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$10.08 IQD 13.2K

7.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.48 IQD 632

464.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.94 IQD 1,226

60.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.68 IQD 885

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.50 IQD 655

338.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.37 IQD 488

402.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.31 IQD 402

619.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.63 IQD 829

69.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.45 IQD 589

142.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.98 IQD 2,588

111.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$13.68 IQD 17.9K

-23.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.86 IQD 2,439

-10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.12 IQD 2,772

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.38 IQD 495

42.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.80 IQD 40.3K

-15.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.25 IQD 2,941

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.49 IQD 1,949

61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.80 IQD 10.2K

-59.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.50 IQD 661

162.00%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

47.51%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

18.41%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$40.44 IQD 52.9K

100.99%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$26.03 IQD 34.1K

-13.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$23.39 IQD 30.6K

28.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$25.75 IQD 33.7K

105.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$17.14 IQD 22.4K

7.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.49 IQD 9,804

-34.31%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$86.2 IQD 112.9K

132.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$2,396 IQD 3.1M

115.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$21.08 IQD 27.6K

70.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$29.78 IQD 39.0K

34.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$19.61 IQD 25.7K

306.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$27.17 IQD 35.6K

218.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$214 IQD 280.1K

357.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$176 IQD 230.6K

167.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$423 IQD 553.3K

290.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$295 IQD 385.7K

308.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,317 IQD 1.7M

200.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$383 IQD 502.0K

1623.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,031 IQD 1.3M

-34.36%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kufah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $214 in Al Kufah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Kufah pays 52% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in Al Kufah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $147 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 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 52% 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $214 in Al Kufah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Kufah – a meal for two runs $36.00 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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $667 in Al Kufah – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Al Kufah versus $1,260 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 89% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.