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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $635 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,005 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,375 in Mosul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 98% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Mosul 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.43 IQD 4,485

241.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$19.15 IQD 25.1K

118.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$6.14 IQD 8,035

71.17%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.55 IQD 2,031

131.61%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.41 IQD 532

268.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.21 IQD 270

338.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.51 IQD 1,977

96.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$1.55 IQD 2,035

184.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.94 IQD 1,230

48.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.79 IQD 1,028

137.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.30 IQD 1,701

20.00%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.53 IQD 2,003

70.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.48 IQD 4,556

139.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$3.78 IQD 4,950

120.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.50 IQD 15.1K

-5.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$0.73 IQD 951

271.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.07 IQD 1,400

41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.67 IQD 880

179.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.43 IQD 565

409.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.46 IQD 600

304.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.58 IQD 757

284.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.47 IQD 616

127.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.57 IQD 741

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.89 IQD 2,469

121.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$7.65 IQD 10.0K

36.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.39 IQD 1,816

19.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.96 IQD 2,566

33.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.39 IQD 517

38.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$75.2 IQD 98.5K

-65.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$1.55 IQD 2,027

98.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.48 IQD 1,935

62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$4.61 IQD 6,041

-32.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.53 IQD 693

147.17%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

70.15%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

14.41%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$102 IQD 133.4K

-20.19%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$15.03 IQD 19.7K

50.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$29.43 IQD 38.5K

2.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.69 IQD 29.7K

133.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$21.94 IQD 28.7K

-16.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$9.29 IQD 12.2K

-47.04%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$182 IQD 237.9K

10.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,295 IQD 4.3M

57.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$15.50 IQD 20.3K

131.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$18.89 IQD 24.7K

112.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$26.86 IQD 35.2K

196.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$25.13 IQD 32.9K

244.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$153 IQD 199.8K

541.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$85.6 IQD 112.1K

449.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$269 IQD 352.0K

514.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$282 IQD 369.4K

326.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$792 IQD 1.0M

399.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$918 IQD 1.2M

619.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$483 IQD 632.4K

40.11%

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 27, 2026

Last update for Mosul: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $153 in Mosul. 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 40% 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 $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $145 – making Mosul 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 Mosul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, $635 in Mosul – roughly 98% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $953 in Mosul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mosul, 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $635 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 188% less in Mosul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mosul, where all-in costs run around $635, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Mosul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $635 in Mosul to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Mosul. 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.