Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and As Samawah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and As Samawah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $895 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,362 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,828 in As Samawah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 42% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, As Samawah 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.25 IQD 6,880

126.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$36.58 IQD 47.9K

17.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.56 IQD 9,893

40.87%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.08 IQD 4,032

12.01%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.39 IQD 517

284.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.17 IQD 228

458.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$3.50 IQD 4,585

-13.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.93 IQD 3,832

57.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.35 IQD 1,770

2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.78 IQD 1,027

137.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.65 IQD 2,157

-2.42%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.63 IQD 2,139

58.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.63 IQD 6,061

78.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.99 IQD 6,536

67.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$14.23 IQD 18.6K

-25.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.03 IQD 1,344

155.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$0.98 IQD 1,280

52.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.71 IQD 935

170.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.51 IQD 672

309.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.64 IQD 845

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.68 IQD 889

232.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.34 IQD 449

211.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.62 IQD 806

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.16 IQD 2,831

92.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.85 IQD 10.3K

32.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.77 IQD 2,317

-2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$2.19 IQD 2,868

19.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.40 IQD 519

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$30.96 IQD 40.5K

-12.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.93 IQD 5,143

-20.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.49 IQD 1,952

68.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.83 IQD 10.3K

-59.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.57 IQD 746

122.81%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

50.21%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.2K IQD 26.5M

16.41%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$175 IQD 228.8K

-52.49%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

-10.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$40.93 IQD 53.6K

-28.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$36.29 IQD 47.5K

40.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$16.89 IQD 22.1K

8.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-35.89%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$164 IQD 215.1K

20.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,589 IQD 4.7M

47.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$28.94 IQD 37.9K

27.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$31.14 IQD 40.8K

28.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$64.0 IQD 83.8K

24.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$44.11 IQD 57.8K

102.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$242 IQD 316.6K

295.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$175 IQD 229.5K

172.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$579 IQD 758.5K

184.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$348 IQD 456.2K

251.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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 7, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $956 in Playa del Carmen and $242 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $173 per month, with As Samawah 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 As Samawah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

As Samawah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,906 in Playa del Carmen and $1,343 in As Samawah 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $242 in As Samawah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in As Samawah runs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $164 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $895 in As Samawah versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in As Samawah but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes As Samawah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, As Samawah 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 As Samawah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.