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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $645 in An Najaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $976 in An Najaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,306 in An Najaf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 102% 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 5% lower, An Najaf 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$4.64 IQD 6,078

157.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$22.62 IQD 29.6K

109.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$4.85 IQD 6,350

142.27%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$2.48 IQD 3,251

66.13%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.37 IQD 482

278.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.26 IQD 343

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

$3.91 IQD 5,120

-17.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

$1.97 IQD 2,586

258.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.03 IQD 1,346

63.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.82 IQD 1,077

162.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.57 IQD 2,052

12.74%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$1.65 IQD 2,160

70.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$3.71 IQD 4,853

147.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$4.73 IQD 6,201

95.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.73 IQD 14.1K

17.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$1.18 IQD 1,546

150.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.07 IQD 1,399

47.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.01 IQD 1,324

119.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$0.73 IQD 963

223.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$0.65 IQD 850

206.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.64 IQD 835

209.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$0.67 IQD 875

85.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.53 IQD 696

128.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$1.69 IQD 2,219

172.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$13.64 IQD 17.9K

-22.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

$2.23 IQD 2,924

-24.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

$2.25 IQD 2,948

23.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.33 IQD 428

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$1.54 IQD 2,018

240.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$1.49 IQD 1,951

144.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$5.31 IQD 6,958

8.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.45 IQD 588

242.22%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$11.8K IQD 15.5M

92.69%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$18.0K IQD 23.6M

43.30%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$38.16 IQD 50.0K

137.60%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$16.66 IQD 21.8K

51.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$37.30 IQD 48.8K

-14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$28.91 IQD 37.9K

137.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$9.36 IQD 12.3K

-48.08%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$168 IQD 219.9K

34.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$917 IQD 1.2M

357.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$16.14 IQD 21.1K

193.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$27.01 IQD 35.4K

60.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$71.2 IQD 93.2K

12.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$47.90 IQD 62.7K

90.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$258 IQD 337.8K

320.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$140 IQD 183.4K

191.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$335 IQD 438.1K

489.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$204 IQD 266.7K

529.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

$1,263 IQD 1.7M

220.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

$488 IQD 638.5K

1274.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$729 IQD 954.1K

6.14%

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 An Najaf: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $258 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 6% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in An Najaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $278 vs $174 – 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 102% 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $968 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $645 in An Najaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $168 in An Najaf. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in An Najaf, where all-in costs run around $645, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. 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 $645 versus $1,305 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.