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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $886 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,349 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,813 in As Samawah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than As Samawah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, As Samawah 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$5.37 IQD 7,038

122.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$35.74 IQD 46.8K

19.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$7.63 IQD 10.0K

38.79%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.00 IQD 3,925

20.67%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.39 IQD 513

276.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.17 IQD 216

452.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$3.51 IQD 4,594

-11.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.91 IQD 3,816

53.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.31 IQD 1,719

9.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.82 IQD 1,080

129.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.63 IQD 2,136

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.61 IQD 2,110

63.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.39 IQD 5,746

87.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$5.06 IQD 6,625

63.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.83 IQD 18.1K

-19.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.02 IQD 1,333

159.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$0.99 IQD 1,294

51.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.69 IQD 903

188.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.49 IQD 639

324.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.66 IQD 862

171.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.63 IQD 822

246.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.32 IQD 418

237.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.67 IQD 878

55.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.11 IQD 2,765

88.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.59 IQD 9,945

34.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.84 IQD 2,413

-5.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.18 IQD 2,858

14.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.40 IQD 521

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$31.26 IQD 40.9K

-13.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.73 IQD 4,885

-15.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.54 IQD 2,019

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$7.69 IQD 10.1K

-59.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.54 IQD 704

135.19%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

54.60%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

16.23%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$176 IQD 230.0K

-53.29%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$25.49 IQD 33.4K

-11.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$40.86 IQD 53.5K

-27.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$37.44 IQD 49.0K

38.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$16.54 IQD 21.7K

12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

-36.45%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$166 IQD 217.7K

19.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,567 IQD 4.7M

47.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$28.20 IQD 36.9K

28.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$31.03 IQD 40.6K

29.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$65.3 IQD 85.5K

22.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$43.89 IQD 57.5K

102.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$243 IQD 318.0K

296.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$176 IQD 230.2K

164.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$576 IQD 755.1K

176.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$347 IQD 455.0K

248.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $243 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $172 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. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,930 in Playa del Carmen and $1,329 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $243 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 16% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in Playa del Carmen versus $166 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $886 in As Samawah versus $1,287 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 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.