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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $642 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,004 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,366 in Mosul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 97% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$3.49 IQD 4,569

232.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$19.06 IQD 25.0K

147.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.21 IQD 8,131

91.30%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$1.62 IQD 2,125

145.68%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.40 IQD 530

257.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.16 IQD 214

412.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$1.50 IQD 1,965

112.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$1.57 IQD 2,057

332.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$0.78 IQD 1,023

115.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$0.74 IQD 964

197.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.30 IQD 1,706

31.54%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$1.49 IQD 1,952

83.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$3.69 IQD 4,829

159.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$4.31 IQD 5,645

109.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$12.00 IQD 15.7K

6.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$0.68 IQD 892

325.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.06 IQD 1,388

41.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$0.74 IQD 963

190.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$0.50 IQD 653

352.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$0.46 IQD 604

330.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.48 IQD 624

314.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$0.42 IQD 551

192.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.65 IQD 849

84.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$1.90 IQD 2,484

139.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$7.42 IQD 9,714

39.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

$1.93 IQD 2,522

-16.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$1.96 IQD 2,564

46.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

$0.37 IQD 483

62.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

-62.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$1.51 IQD 1,977

256.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$1.57 IQD 2,059

137.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$4.64 IQD 6,070

24.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.50 IQD 652

208.00%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

29.06%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

27.85%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$87.3 IQD 114.3K

4.72%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$15.21 IQD 19.9K

65.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$32.88 IQD 43.1K

-4.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$23.41 IQD 30.7K

187.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

$25.43 IQD 33.3K

14.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$9.62 IQD 12.6K

-49.48%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$196 IQD 256.5K

14.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$3,583 IQD 4.7M

18.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$12.36 IQD 16.2K

281.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$18.83 IQD 24.7K

135.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$27.21 IQD 35.6K

194.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$25.46 IQD 33.3K

263.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$161 IQD 211.4K

558.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$116 IQD 152.1K

235.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

$277 IQD 363.2K

674.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$289 IQD 377.8K

340.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

$811 IQD 1.1M

393.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

$925 IQD 1.2M

602.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$487 IQD 637.1K

55.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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 Mosul: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $161 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 56% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $150 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $642 in Mosul – roughly 97% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $963 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 $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $642 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 166% 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 $642, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $642 in Mosul to $1,266 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.