Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and An Najaf Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and An Najaf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $688 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,013 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,338 in An Najaf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than An Najaf, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and An Najaf are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, An Najaf 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.06 IQD 5,317

195.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$23.20 IQD 30.4K

80.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$4.88 IQD 6,384

120.29%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.75 IQD 3,600

27.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.37 IQD 484

291.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.17 IQD 226

417.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.37 IQD 4,411

-12.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.86 IQD 3,739

57.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.31 IQD 1,716

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.84 IQD 1,103

119.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.58 IQD 2,071

-0.63%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.78 IQD 2,337

41.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$2.40 IQD 3,140

245.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.81 IQD 6,300

75.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$10.78 IQD 14.1K

-0.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.27 IQD 1,665

105.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.17 IQD 1,528

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.00 IQD 1,313

96.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.74 IQD 966

182.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.64 IQD 838

189.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.64 IQD 832

239.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.66 IQD 863

56.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.40 IQD 518

167.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.49 IQD 1,954

175.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.86 IQD 2,437

-9.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.19 IQD 2,871

15.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.37 IQD 483

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$34.61 IQD 45.3K

-24.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$1.97 IQD 2,575

63.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.52 IQD 1,993

58.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$4.92 IQD 6,448

-34.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.45 IQD 586

193.33%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$11.5K IQD 15.1M

158.04%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

20.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$58.8 IQD 77.0K

39.52%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$23.18 IQD 30.3K

-0.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$34.93 IQD 45.7K

-13.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$29.32 IQD 38.4K

77.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$14.81 IQD 19.4K

25.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.78 IQD 10.2K

-35.99%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$164 IQD 214.2K

20.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$918 IQD 1.2M

481.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$16.28 IQD 21.3K

118.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$24.95 IQD 32.7K

61.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$65.8 IQD 86.2K

19.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$43.72 IQD 57.2K

103.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$243 IQD 318.4K

289.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$133 IQD 173.9K

257.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$388 IQD 508.7K

323.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$152 IQD 198.6K

698.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,274 IQD 1.7M

218.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$479 IQD 627.0K

1251.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$736 IQD 964.4K

-11.21%

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 An Najaf: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 in An Najaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 13% higher in An Najaf, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $171 – making An Najaf the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 An Najaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 83% more than An Najaf, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,031 in An Najaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in An Najaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $688 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in An Najaf. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In An Najaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. An Najaf costs $688 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with An Najaf. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.