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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $792 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,150 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,508 in An Nasiriyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than An Nasiriyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, An Nasiriyah 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.73 MX$203
$3.21 IQD 4,199
265.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$41.62 MX$720
$12.44 IQD 16.3K
234.57%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.64 MX$184
$6.77 IQD 8,869
57.16%
Cappuccino
$3.52 MX$60.9
$2.73 IQD 3,576
28.94%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51 MX$26.12
$0.37 IQD 478
308.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97 MX$16.84
$0.17 IQD 228
470.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 MX$51.0
$3.45 IQD 4,521
-14.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45 MX$77.0
$2.91 IQD 3,812
52.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.38 MX$23.93
$0.86 IQD 1,123
60.47%
White Bread (500g)
$1.89 MX$32.72
$0.77 IQD 1,014
145.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 MX$28.32
$1.39 IQD 1,826
17.99%
Eggs
$2.51 MX$43.34
$1.66 IQD 2,176
51.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$3.16 IQD 4,138
163.92%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.34 MX$144
$3.84 IQD 5,029
117.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.73 MX$186
$8.78 IQD 11.5K
22.21%
Apples (1kg)
$2.60 MX$45.04
$1.28 IQD 1,671
103.13%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 MX$25.20
$1.20 IQD 1,568
21.67%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.90 MX$32.87
$0.81 IQD 1,055
134.57%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 MX$35.91
$0.40 IQD 526
420.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 MX$30.71
$0.41 IQD 536
334.15%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 MX$37.80
$0.51 IQD 669
329.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.04 MX$17.99
$0.52 IQD 676
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.08 MX$18.62
$0.43 IQD 565
151.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$70.6
$1.53 IQD 2,001
166.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.32 MX$178
$13.56 IQD 17.8K
-23.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 MX$29.61
$1.77 IQD 2,318
-3.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.58 MX$44.54
$2.08 IQD 2,724
24.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.51 MX$8.81
$0.23 IQD 302
121.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.46 MX$458
$30.81 IQD 40.4K
-14.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.26 MX$56.4
$2.28 IQD 2,980
42.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.49 MX$43.09
$1.54 IQD 2,020
61.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.25 MX$56.2
$3.05 IQD 3,989
6.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 MX$22.61
$0.54 IQD 707
142.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K MX$523.7K
$20.0K IQD 26.1M
51.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.4K MX$405.3K
$15.3K IQD 20.0M
53.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.9 MX$1,433
$175 IQD 228.9K
-52.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.22 MX$384
$26.39 IQD 34.6K
-15.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.34 MX$507
$40.42 IQD 52.9K
-27.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.6 MX$893
$18.82 IQD 24.6K
174.34%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.32 MX$317
$16.73 IQD 21.9K
9.50%
Cinema Ticket
$5.07 MX$87.6
$7.66 IQD 10.0K
-33.81%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,473
$168 IQD 220.1K
19.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,212 MX$90.1K
$3,534 IQD 4.6M
47.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$36.92 MX$639
$11.66 IQD 15.3K
216.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.79 MX$688
$30.08 IQD 39.4K
32.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.5 MX$1,357
$26.92 IQD 35.3K
191.42%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.1 MX$1,506
$38.21 IQD 50.0K
127.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$973 MX$16.8K
$247 IQD 323.6K
293.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$468 MX$8,090
$179 IQD 234.2K
161.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,641 MX$28.4K
$577 IQD 756.0K
184.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,221 MX$21.1K
$341 IQD 447.0K
257.64%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,946 MX$68.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,498 MX$112.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
An Nasiriyah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$664 MX$11.5K
$776 IQD 1.0M
-14.46%
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: June 2, 2026

Last update for An Nasiriyah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in An Nasiriyah. 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 17% higher in An Nasiriyah, 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 $12.00 in An Nasiriyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $152 – making An Nasiriyah 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 Nasiriyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $792 in An Nasiriyah – roughly 64% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Playa del Carmen compared to An Nasiriyah?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,189 in An Nasiriyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah?
Rent is clearly cheaper in An Nasiriyah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do commuting costs compare in Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah?
Public transport costs about 16% less in An Nasiriyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah?
Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $168 in An Nasiriyah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in An Nasiriyah, where all-in costs run around $792, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In An Nasiriyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $792 in An Nasiriyah to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
How do I decide between Playa del Carmen and An Nasiriyah?
If budget matters most, go with An Nasiriyah. 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.

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