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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $617 in Al-mawsil.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $827 in Al-mawsil.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,038 in Al-mawsil.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 105% more expensive than in Al-mawsil, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Al-mawsil 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$7.55 IQD 9,891

53.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$809

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

281.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$5.61 IQD 7,344

111.76%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$0.75 IQD 981

430.67%

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

$1.43 MX$24.49

$0.37 IQD 484

286.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.16

$0.19 IQD 252

331.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$0.97 IQD 1,265

228.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.51 IQD 1,982

349.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.76

$0.78 IQD 1,015

115.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.71

$0.73 IQD 959

201.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.32

$0.62 IQD 815

175.81%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.05

$1.13 IQD 1,482

142.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$7.97 IQD 10.4K

20.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$3.48 IQD 4,551

158.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$9.22 IQD 12.1K

38.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.58

$0.73 IQD 956

295.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.70

$0.74 IQD 965

102.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.87

$0.60 IQD 781

258.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.79

$0.28 IQD 368

707.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.00

$0.32 IQD 425

518.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.15

$0.37 IQD 482

437.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.18

$0.78 IQD 1,028

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.54

$0.59 IQD 772

103.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.1

$1.87 IQD 2,444

143.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$12.38 IQD 16.2K

-16.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.79

$1.69 IQD 2,210

-4.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.44

$2.08 IQD 2,720

38.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

$0.39 IQD 514

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

$30.48 IQD 39.9K

-5.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.5

$1.85 IQD 2,426

191.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.0

$1.82 IQD 2,382

104.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.0

$4.54 IQD 5,945

27.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.37

$0.33 IQD 430

366.67%

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

$22.5K MX$387.0K

$15.3K IQD 20.0M

47.83%

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

$26.1K MX$447.3K

$17.8K IQD 23.3M

46.64%

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

$91.4 MX$1,569

$109 IQD 142.3K

-15.92%

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

$25.20 MX$433

$13.97 IQD 18.3K

80.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$26.34 IQD 34.5K

18.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

$23.02 IQD 30.1K

191.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

$7.44 IQD 9,736

291.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.5

$7.81 IQD 10.2K

-37.77%

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

$224 MX$3,839

$306 IQD 401.0K

-26.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.6K

$688 IQD 900.4K

515.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$19.01 IQD 24.9K

147.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$760

$15.44 IQD 20.2K

186.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,375

$70.5 IQD 92.3K

13.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,591

$18.06 IQD 23.6K

413.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$113 IQD 148.3K

838.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

$76.3 IQD 100.0K

411.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

$301 IQD 393.7K

614.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

$608 IQD 795.7K

24.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.53

352.57%

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-mawsil: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 25% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $12.00 in Al-mawsil for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $152 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 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 25% 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: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $113 in Al-mawsil. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $306 in Al-mawsil. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $617 in Al-mawsil versus $1,266 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 105% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.