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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $859 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,281 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,703 in Mashhad.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 46% more expensive than in Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mashhad 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$5.50 IQD 7,205

118.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$35.68 IQD 46.7K

17.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$7.48 IQD 9,799

43.72%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.98 IQD 3,900

17.45%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.39 IQD 512

271.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.22 IQD 284

300.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$3.38 IQD 4,423

-12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.94 IQD 3,849

53.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.32 IQD 1,735

8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.83 IQD 1,081

121.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.60 IQD 2,101

-1.88%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$0.87 IQD 1,134

188.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.39 IQD 5,747

88.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$2.03 IQD 2,657

315.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$3.03 IQD 3,966

252.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$0.97 IQD 1,275

169.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.17 IQD 1,528

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.01 IQD 1,324

94.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.72 IQD 947

190.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.70 IQD 913

164.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.68 IQD 893

219.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.29 IQD 376

255.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.17 IQD 228

529.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$0.77 IQD 1,013

432.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$13.54 IQD 17.7K

-24.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.83 IQD 2,393

-8.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.10 IQD 2,748

20.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.37 IQD 484

37.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.56 IQD 41.3K

-17.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$3.91 IQD 5,114

-17.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.54 IQD 2,018

56.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$7.52 IQD 9,848

-57.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.57 IQD 747

131.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

45.73%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

20.65%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$177 IQD 232.4K

-53.79%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$26.31 IQD 34.5K

-12.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

-24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.85 IQD 48.3K

41.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$16.48 IQD 21.6K

12.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.62 IQD 9,977

-34.65%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$166 IQD 216.8K

19.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,570 IQD 4.7M

49.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$28.86 IQD 37.8K

23.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$31.13 IQD 40.8K

29.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$65.2 IQD 85.4K

20.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$42.92 IQD 56.2K

107.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$247 IQD 322.8K

284.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$181 IQD 236.6K

162.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$584 IQD 764.5K

181.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$341 IQD 447.0K

254.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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 Mashhad: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $247 in Mashhad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $36.00 in Mashhad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $130 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 46% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $859 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,289 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $247 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $197 in Playa del Carmen versus $166 in Mashhad. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 91% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $859 in Mashhad versus $1,256 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 46% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.