Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-mawsil Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-mawsil

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $721 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,075 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,429 in Al-mawsil.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

54.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$12.27 IQD 16.1K

240.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$5.84 IQD 7,645

84.08%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$0.81 IQD 1,055

332.10%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.40 IQD 517

262.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.17 IQD 224

417.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$0.94 IQD 1,225

213.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$1.50 IQD 1,960

200.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$0.85 IQD 1,112

68.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.80 IQD 1,049

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.06 IQD 1,391

48.11%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.92 IQD 2,515

30.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$7.29 IQD 9,548

13.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$3.24 IQD 4,242

160.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$7.05 IQD 9,229

51.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.91 IQD 1,195

186.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$0.91 IQD 1,192

58.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$0.81 IQD 1,061

141.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.39 IQD 517

435.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.41 IQD 538

351.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.43 IQD 562

404.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.51 IQD 669

101.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.53 IQD 700

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.95 IQD 2,553

110.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.24 IQD 16.0K

-16.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.39 IQD 1,825

20.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$1.93 IQD 2,533

31.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.40 IQD 520

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.67 IQD 41.5K

-17.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.17 IQD 2,839

48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.98 IQD 2,591

21.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$3.28 IQD 4,298

-1.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.33 IQD 432

300.00%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$15.1K IQD 19.7M

97.11%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$17.7K IQD 23.1M

33.97%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$99.4 IQD 130.2K

-17.50%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.52 IQD 22.9K

30.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$27.27 IQD 35.7K

10.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$24.23 IQD 31.7K

114.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$18.85 IQD 24.7K

-1.70%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-55.85%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$202 IQD 264.4K

-2.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$694 IQD 909.2K

668.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$13.87 IQD 18.2K

156.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$17.89 IQD 23.4K

125.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$82.9 IQD 108.6K

-5.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$19.54 IQD 25.6K

355.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$242 IQD 316.7K

291.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$179 IQD 234.4K

164.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$572 IQD 748.7K

187.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$339 IQD 443.7K

257.26%

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

$608 IQD 795.8K

7.60%

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-mawsil: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 8% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $149 per month, with Al-mawsil 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-mawsil: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-mawsil 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.

Average pay runs 8% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $202 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $721 in Al-mawsil versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-mawsil but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-mawsil the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-mawsil 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-mawsil 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.