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: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $892 in As Samawah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,353 in As Samawah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,814 in As Samawah.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 41% more expensive than in 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

$11.72 MX$203

$5.24 IQD 6,866

123.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$36.43 IQD 47.7K

14.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

35.96%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.04 IQD 3,987

18.09%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.37 IQD 484

308.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.20 IQD 265

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$3.48 IQD 4,553

-14.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.93 IQD 3,837

50.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.37 IQD 1,799

2.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.82 IQD 1,074

129.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.60 IQD 2,089

-2.50%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.64 IQD 2,146

59.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.60 IQD 6,022

80.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.83 IQD 6,329

72.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$14.18 IQD 18.6K

-23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.03 IQD 1,347

163.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.02 IQD 1,339

48.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.68 IQD 893

175.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.51 IQD 673

329.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.70 IQD 916

165.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.62 IQD 817

259.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.31 IQD 411

245.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.62 IQD 806

75.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.08 IQD 2,723

101.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.73 IQD 10.1K

34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.80 IQD 2,352

-7.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.07 IQD 2,716

26.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.39 IQD 516

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.89 IQD 40.5K

-15.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.91 IQD 5,117

-21.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.54 IQD 2,021

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$7.62 IQD 9,979

-58.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.56 IQD 734

133.93%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.7K IQD 25.8M

51.09%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.8K IQD 26.0M

17.61%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$179 IQD 234.3K

-54.57%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$26.15 IQD 34.2K

-13.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$40.39 IQD 52.9K

-25.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$36.08 IQD 47.2K

46.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

8.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-36.19%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$169 IQD 220.9K

19.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,635 IQD 4.8M

42.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$28.02 IQD 36.7K

28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$30.35 IQD 39.7K

32.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$63.5 IQD 83.1K

25.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$43.10 IQD 56.4K

100.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$239 IQD 312.9K

309.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$182 IQD 238.1K

158.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$579 IQD 758.4K

185.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$349 IQD 457.2K

244.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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 27, 2026

Last update for As Samawah: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $239 in As Samawah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in As Samawah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 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. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,338 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: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 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 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $169 in As Samawah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $892 in As Samawah versus $1,260 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 41% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.