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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $703 in Al-musayyib.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,023 in Al-musayyib.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,344 in Al-musayyib.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 86% more expensive than in Al-musayyib, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Al-musayyib 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.65 IQD 6,091

157.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

36.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.70 IQD 10.1K

52.60%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$3.18 IQD 4,163

29.56%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.39 IQD 514

258.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.26 IQD 342

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.90 IQD 5,105

-17.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$3.83 IQD 5,021

84.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.08 IQD 1,413

55.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.77 IQD 1,014

179.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.52 IQD 1,985

16.45%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.56 IQD 2,047

80.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.87 IQD 5,068

137.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$3.83 IQD 5,016

140.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$11.30 IQD 14.8K

11.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.14 IQD 1,487

158.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.07 IQD 1,396

47.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.05 IQD 1,376

111.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.54 IQD 711

337.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.60 IQD 781

231.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.59 IQD 768

235.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.55 IQD 721

125.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.36 IQD 474

236.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.82 IQD 2,386

152.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.77 IQD 18.0K

-23.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.24 IQD 2,935

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.29 IQD 2,997

20.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$2.26 IQD 2,957

131.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.49 IQD 1,952

144.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$7.66 IQD 10.0K

-24.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.63 IQD 823

144.44%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

19.92%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$19.1K IQD 25.1M

34.85%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$212 IQD 277.1K

-57.15%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.98 IQD 27.5K

20.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$41.50 IQD 54.3K

-23.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$10.68 IQD 14.0K

-54.49%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$170 IQD 222.6K

32.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$3,519 IQD 4.6M

19.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$29.66 IQD 38.8K

59.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$37.55 IQD 49.2K

15.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$72.8 IQD 95.4K

10.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$46.52 IQD 60.9K

96.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

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 7, 2026

Last update for Al-musayyib: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $35.00 in Al-musayyib for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $167 per month, with Al-musayyib 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-musayyib: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Al-musayyib differ by about 86% in total monthly costs ($1,305 vs $703 including rent). Al-musayyib is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,958 in Playa del Carmen and $1,054 in Al-musayyib 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.

Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $170 in Al-musayyib. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Al-musayyib – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $703 in Al-musayyib versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al-musayyib but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-musayyib the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al-musayyib gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.