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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $764 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,147 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,530 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% 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 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.94 IQD 6,465

142.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$16.77 IQD 22.0K

149.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.01 IQD 9,177

53.35%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$1.76 IQD 2,309

98.86%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.43 IQD 559

237.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.24 IQD 312

266.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.84 IQD 3,718

3.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.81 IQD 3,686

60.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.15 IQD 1,504

24.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.67 IQD 882

174.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$2.27 IQD 2,979

-30.84%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.69 IQD 2,213

48.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$5.84 IQD 7,652

41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.38 IQD 5,740

92.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$9.29 IQD 12.2K

14.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.02 IQD 1,341

155.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.02 IQD 1,333

41.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.03 IQD 1,345

90.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.56 IQD 739

273.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.53 IQD 695

249.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.63 IQD 829

244.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.68 IQD 895

51.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.51 IQD 668

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.70 IQD 2,229

141.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$15.16 IQD 19.9K

-32.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.79 IQD 2,348

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.14 IQD 2,808

18.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.36 IQD 473

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.53 IQD 41.3K

-17.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.26 IQD 2,955

42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.54 IQD 2,013

56.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$6.08 IQD 7,956

-46.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.57 IQD 741

131.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$18.8K IQD 24.7M

57.61%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$20.1K IQD 26.3M

17.83%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$78.4 IQD 102.6K

4.63%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.76 IQD 23.3K

29.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$35.08 IQD 45.9K

-14.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.63 IQD 48.0K

41.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$16.91 IQD 22.1K

9.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.87 IQD 10.3K

-36.72%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$150 IQD 196.1K

31.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,290 IQD 4.3M

62.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$27.48 IQD 36.0K

29.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.73 IQD 33.7K

56.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$60.7 IQD 79.5K

29.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$40.50 IQD 53.0K

119.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$241 IQD 315.9K

292.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$180 IQD 236.2K

162.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$584 IQD 765.4K

181.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$342 IQD 448.4K

253.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

$1,475 IQD 1.9M

174.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

$498 IQD 652.6K

1198.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

$497 IQD 650.7K

31.60%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 32% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $17.00 in Baghdadi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $175 – 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 64%, 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 $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,146 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $764 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 21% less in Baghdadi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Baghdadi, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.