Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az Zubayr Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Az Zubayr

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $731 in Az Zubayr.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,156 in Az Zubayr.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,581 in Az Zubayr.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 72% more expensive than in Az Zubayr, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Az Zubayr 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$4.00 IQD 5,231

193.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$25.14 IQD 32.9K

66.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.98 IQD 9,134

50.57%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$2.55 IQD 3,336

40.78%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.40 IQD 521

277.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.20 IQD 266

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.96 IQD 3,879

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.86 IQD 3,743

54.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.32 IQD 1,726

6.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.83 IQD 1,092

126.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.66 IQD 2,177

-6.02%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.78 IQD 2,332

46.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$4.61 IQD 6,038

80.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.68 IQD 6,122

78.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.21 IQD 17.3K

-17.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.16 IQD 1,518

133.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.15 IQD 1,501

31.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.01 IQD 1,328

85.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.69 IQD 901

217.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.64 IQD 839

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.64 IQD 836

248.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.67 IQD 880

59.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.56 IQD 731

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.96 IQD 2,567

113.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.77 IQD 2,313

-6.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.11 IQD 2,762

23.70%

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

$30.94 IQD 40.5K

-15.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.25 IQD 2,953

36.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.54 IQD 2,011

55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$5.95 IQD 7,788

-47.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.57 IQD 743

129.82%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

55.32%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

19.04%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$77.0 IQD 100.8K

5.56%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.96 IQD 23.5K

25.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$34.90 IQD 45.7K

-13.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$37.05 IQD 48.5K

42.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$16.50 IQD 21.6K

11.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$7.61 IQD 9,965

-35.35%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$152 IQD 199.6K

31.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,308 IQD 4.3M

56.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.50 IQD 36.0K

30.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$24.98 IQD 32.7K

60.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$61.8 IQD 80.9K

29.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$40.34 IQD 52.8K

114.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$239 IQD 312.7K

309.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$181 IQD 236.4K

160.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$581 IQD 760.4K

184.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$346 IQD 453.3K

247.65%

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 Az Zubayr: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Az Zubayr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $158 per month, with Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Az Zubayr differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,260 vs $731 including rent). Az Zubayr is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,890 in Playa del Carmen and $1,097 in Az Zubayr 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 Az Zubayr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Az Zubayr – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $731 in Az Zubayr versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Az Zubayr but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Az Zubayr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Az Zubayr gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.