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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $842 in Mashhad.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,280 in Mashhad.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,718 in Mashhad.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 54% more expensive than Mashhad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mashhad 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.22 IQD 6,839

124.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$35.92 IQD 47.0K

15.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.60 IQD 9,956

40.00%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.08 IQD 4,038

14.29%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.36 IQD 474

319.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.17 IQD 225

470.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$3.48 IQD 4,554

-15.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$2.83 IQD 3,704

57.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.36 IQD 1,777

1.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.79 IQD 1,035

139.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.67 IQD 2,180

-1.80%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$0.87 IQD 1,143

188.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.39 IQD 5,750

89.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$2.01 IQD 2,636

314.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$2.94 IQD 3,848

264.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.98 IQD 1,284

165.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.16 IQD 1,519

25.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$0.97 IQD 1,274

95.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.67 IQD 882

210.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.65 IQD 854

173.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.63 IQD 830

247.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.31 IQD 411

235.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.23 IQD 296

369.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$0.78 IQD 1,028

423.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$13.70 IQD 17.9K

-24.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$1.80 IQD 2,355

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$2.16 IQD 2,834

19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.36 IQD 477

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$31.16 IQD 40.8K

-15.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.85 IQD 5,045

-15.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.47 IQD 1,928

69.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

-58.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.53 IQD 699

147.17%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.8K IQD 25.9M

53.02%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$20.2K IQD 26.4M

16.20%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$176 IQD 230.6K

-52.95%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$25.50 IQD 33.4K

-12.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$40.29 IQD 52.8K

-27.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$36.45 IQD 47.7K

41.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$16.58 IQD 21.7K

10.49%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$7.71 IQD 10.1K

-34.24%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$166 IQD 216.9K

21.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$3,528 IQD 4.6M

47.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$28.65 IQD 37.5K

28.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$30.05 IQD 39.3K

32.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$64.2 IQD 84.0K

22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$43.33 IQD 56.7K

100.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$241 IQD 315.7K

303.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$180 IQD 236.0K

159.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$589 IQD 770.9K

178.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$341 IQD 446.7K

257.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Mashhad: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $241 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 $131 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $842 including rent). Mashhad is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,945 in Playa del Carmen and $1,263 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 in Mashhad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $201 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 $842 in Mashhad versus $1,297 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 54% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.