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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,259 in Playa del Carmen versus $646 in Duhok.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,177 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,042 in Duhok.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,095 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,437 in Duhok.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 95% more expensive than in Duhok, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Duhok 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.95 MX$209

$3.82 IQD 4,994

212.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.94 MX$733

$18.86 IQD 24.7K

122.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 MX$182

$7.18 IQD 9,392

45.13%

Cappuccino

$3.51 MX$61.4

$2.64 IQD 3,452

32.95%

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

$1.52 MX$26.50

$0.40 IQD 522

280.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.91

$0.18 IQD 233

405.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.1

$1.13 IQD 1,482

169.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.4

$1.87 IQD 2,449

133.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 MX$24.84

$1.37 IQD 1,786

3.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 MX$32.00

$0.82 IQD 1,067

123.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.57

$1.57 IQD 2,050

3.82%

Eggs

$2.54 MX$44.38

$1.88 IQD 2,462

35.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 MX$150

$5.22 IQD 6,825

64.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.49 MX$148

$2.94 IQD 3,840

188.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.80 MX$189

$12.62 IQD 16.5K

-14.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 MX$48.14

$1.12 IQD 1,460

145.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.10

$1.14 IQD 1,494

26.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 MX$32.97

$0.82 IQD 1,071

130.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.93

$0.75 IQD 977

189.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$31.10

$0.72 IQD 939

147.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 MX$38.87

$0.71 IQD 924

212.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.68

$0.77 IQD 1,011

38.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.87

$0.56 IQD 726

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$72.5

$1.87 IQD 2,450

121.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

$12.22 IQD 16.0K

-14.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.47

$1.38 IQD 1,802

26.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.11

$2.00 IQD 2,610

29.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.97

$0.35 IQD 460

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.94 MX$453

$15.87 IQD 20.8K

63.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 MX$56.1

$2.35 IQD 3,079

36.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.50 MX$43.73

$1.51 IQD 1,979

65.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 MX$55.7

$6.04 IQD 7,901

-47.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.96

$0.64 IQD 835

96.88%

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

$29.7K MX$518.8K

$18.9K IQD 24.7M

57.46%

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

$23.7K MX$413.9K

$19.7K IQD 25.7M

20.31%

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

$82.0 MX$1,434

$93.3 IQD 122.0K

-12.03%

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

$22.73 MX$397

$9.99 IQD 13.1K

127.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.42 MX$514

$30.31 IQD 39.6K

-2.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 MX$912

$52.1 IQD 68.1K

0.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 MX$322

$16.82 IQD 22.0K

9.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$86.2

$7.68 IQD 10.0K

-35.81%

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

$202 MX$3,526

$112 IQD 146.9K

79.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,217 MX$91.2K

$3,223 IQD 4.2M

61.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.93 MX$628

$9.90 IQD 12.9K

262.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$705

$19.68 IQD 25.7K

104.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,396

$29.75 IQD 38.9K

168.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,561

$20.14 IQD 26.3K

343.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 MX$16.6K

$181 IQD 236.5K

424.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,132

$123 IQD 160.4K

279.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,630 MX$28.5K

$374 IQD 489.8K

335.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,193 MX$20.8K

$345 IQD 450.6K

246.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,933 MX$68.7K

$460 IQD 601.6K

755.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,428 MX$112.3K

$385 IQD 503.8K

1569.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 MX$11.5K

$431 IQD 564.3K

52.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

14.33

-20.31%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Duhok: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Playa del Carmen and $181 in Duhok. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 53% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $19.00 in Duhok for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $252 vs $172 per month, with Duhok 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 Duhok: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Duhok differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,259 vs $646 including rent). Duhok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 53% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Playa del Carmen versus $181 in Duhok. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $202 in Playa del Carmen versus $112 in Duhok. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Duhok versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Duhok but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duhok 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.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Duhok are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Duhok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.