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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $758 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,141 in Baghdadi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,525 in Baghdadi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Baghdadi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Baghdadi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Baghdadi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.11 IQD 6,694

129.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$17.16 IQD 22.5K

142.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.94 IQD 9,091

53.31%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.70 IQD 2,220

107.06%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.43 IQD 561

251.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.24 IQD 311

304.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$2.92 IQD 3,825

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.84 IQD 3,715

56.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.10 IQD 1,441

25.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.66 IQD 868

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.24 IQD 2,931

-26.79%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.77 IQD 2,311

41.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.85 IQD 7,658

42.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.41 IQD 5,772

89.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.04 IQD 11.8K

18.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.98 IQD 1,289

165.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.97 IQD 1,274

50.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.03 IQD 1,346

84.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.54 IQD 701

285.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.57 IQD 750

212.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.68 IQD 889

222.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.70 IQD 911

48.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.49 IQD 640

120.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$1.79 IQD 2,350

127.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.18 IQD 19.9K

-32.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.77 IQD 2,321

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.15 IQD 2,817

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.40 IQD 518

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$31.62 IQD 41.4K

-16.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.26 IQD 2,954

44.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.54 IQD 2,012

61.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$6.07 IQD 7,948

-46.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.53 IQD 697

147.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.4K IQD 25.3M

56.42%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$19.6K IQD 25.6M

19.66%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$76.7 IQD 100.4K

8.04%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.40 IQD 22.8K

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$34.99 IQD 45.8K

-16.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$36.93 IQD 48.4K

39.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.94 IQD 22.2K

8.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.63 IQD 9,988

-33.55%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$151 IQD 198.0K

32.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

60.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$26.88 IQD 35.2K

37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$25.58 IQD 33.5K

55.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$60.7 IQD 79.5K

29.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$41.60 IQD 54.5K

109.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$241 IQD 315.9K

303.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$178 IQD 232.4K

163.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$582 IQD 762.5K

181.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$345 IQD 451.8K

253.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$1,501 IQD 2.0M

162.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$492 IQD 644.1K

1221.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$506 IQD 662.1K

31.31%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Baghdadi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 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 31% 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 $173 – 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 71%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,137 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $758 in Baghdadi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 20% 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 $758, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.