Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Baghdadi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Baghdadi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $466 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $762 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,059 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 178% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Baghdadi 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$7.43 IQD 9,731

57.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$786

$13.69 IQD 17.9K

240.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.87 IQD 2,448

118.72%

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

$1.37 MX$23.20

$0.42 IQD 545

226.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.07

$0.22 IQD 290

277.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.15

$0.99 IQD 1,295

74.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.15

$0.49 IQD 641

361.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.86

$2.73 IQD 3,570

-35.16%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.12

$1.84 IQD 2,413

48.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$6.78 IQD 8,875

35.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$3.11 IQD 4,070

186.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.49 IQD 11.1K

48.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$0.98 IQD 1,290

208.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.51

$1.03 IQD 1,345

52.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.88

$1.02 IQD 1,341

108.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.22

$0.26 IQD 342

769.23%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.82

$0.24 IQD 312

733.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.85

$0.63 IQD 825

226.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.91

$0.48 IQD 630

145.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$0.57 IQD 750

110.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.2

$1.01 IQD 1,323

358.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$15.23 IQD 19.9K

-29.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.29 IQD 379

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$503

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$91.9

$5.02 IQD 6,578

8.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.5

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.03 IQD 9,201

-14.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.22

$0.41 IQD 543

278.05%

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

$22.3K MX$376.8K

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

$25.9K MX$438.0K

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

$89.1 MX$1,504

$49.02 IQD 64.2K

81.82%

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

$25.04 MX$423

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$15.23 IQD 19.9K

106.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,144

$60.0 IQD 78.6K

12.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.2

$8.21 IQD 10.8K

-38.49%

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

$225 MX$3,797

$78.9 IQD 103.4K

184.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$4,948 IQD 6.5M

-14.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$14.73 IQD 19.3K

222.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$25.09 IQD 32.9K

226.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$40.09 IQD 52.5K

129.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.0K

$148 IQD 194.2K

620.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,842

$50.9 IQD 66.7K

696.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$453 IQD 593.1K

327.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$149 IQD 195.1K

773.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.4K

$1,516 IQD 2.0M

163.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.8K

$492 IQD 643.7K

1248.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$506 IQD 663.2K

47.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

14.50%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $148 in Baghdadi. 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 48% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $152 – making Baghdadi 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 Baghdadi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 178%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $698 in Baghdadi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Baghdadi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $14.00 in Baghdadi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 82% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Baghdadi, where all-in costs run around $466, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Baghdadi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Baghdadi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Baghdadi. 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.