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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $640 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $931 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,223 in Mashhad.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 98% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mashhad 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$4.67 IQD 6,120

148.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$34.11 IQD 44.7K

38.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

55.29%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$3.08 IQD 4,035

29.22%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.40 IQD 519

257.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.24 IQD 312

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$3.88 IQD 5,082

-17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$3.89 IQD 5,088

74.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.05 IQD 1,371

60.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$0.82 IQD 1,076

168.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.58 IQD 2,067

8.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$0.81 IQD 1,063

238.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$3.80 IQD 4,981

152.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$2.04 IQD 2,676

341.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$2.92 IQD 3,820

338.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$1.01 IQD 1,325

186.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$1.12 IQD 1,467

33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$0.98 IQD 1,281

119.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$0.68 IQD 889

232.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.67 IQD 873

195.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$0.64 IQD 837

210.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.31 IQD 407

296.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.21 IQD 274

471.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$0.76 IQD 996

498.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$13.55 IQD 17.7K

-23.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$2.14 IQD 2,799

-24.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$2.26 IQD 2,954

27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$2.25 IQD 2,947

139.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.51 IQD 1,979

147.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$7.52 IQD 9,851

-23.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$0.65 IQD 857

136.92%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

19.12%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$18.9K IQD 24.8M

37.76%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$215 IQD 281.7K

-57.53%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$21.21 IQD 27.8K

18.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$42.34 IQD 55.4K

-26.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$10.60 IQD 13.9K

-54.15%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$165 IQD 216.6K

35.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$3,514 IQD 4.6M

20.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$29.67 IQD 38.8K

58.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$38.11 IQD 49.9K

16.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$74.5 IQD 97.6K

7.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$46.47 IQD 60.9K

99.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

4.12

177.91%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $127 per month, with Mashhad 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 Mashhad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Mashhad differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,266 vs $640 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $960 in Mashhad 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.

Childcare runs $224 in Playa del Carmen versus $165 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mashhad – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $640 in Mashhad versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mashhad but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mashhad 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 Mashhad 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 Mashhad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.