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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $631 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,000 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,368 in Mosul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 104% more than Mosul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mosul are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Mosul 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$3.38 IQD 4,423

253.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$19.24 IQD 25.2K

122.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$6.08 IQD 7,963

74.18%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$1.62 IQD 2,128

123.46%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.41 IQD 533

258.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.20 IQD 265

370.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$1.50 IQD 1,965

106.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$1.55 IQD 2,033

187.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$0.94 IQD 1,238

52.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.82 IQD 1,080

129.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.29 IQD 1,690

26.36%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.51 IQD 1,972

74.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$3.38 IQD 4,423

142.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$3.89 IQD 5,102

113.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$11.42 IQD 15.0K

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$0.73 IQD 951

263.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.08 IQD 1,409

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$0.67 IQD 883

197.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.47 IQD 612

342.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.48 IQD 631

272.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.54 IQD 709

303.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.45 IQD 583

140.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.56 IQD 739

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$1.86 IQD 2,437

113.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$7.58 IQD 9,932

34.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.43 IQD 1,871

20.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$1.87 IQD 2,454

33.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.36 IQD 478

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$76.8 IQD 100.6K

-64.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$1.50 IQD 1,963

109.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$1.49 IQD 1,950

61.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$4.47 IQD 5,856

-30.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.53 IQD 693

139.62%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$17.3K IQD 22.6M

78.70%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.0K IQD 26.1M

16.82%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$99.1 IQD 129.8K

-17.22%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$15.15 IQD 19.8K

48.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$29.53 IQD 38.7K

0.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$22.55 IQD 29.5K

130.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$21.52 IQD 28.2K

-13.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$9.77 IQD 12.8K

-49.13%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$180 IQD 235.5K

10.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,263 IQD 4.3M

61.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$15.47 IQD 20.3K

134.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

112.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$27.14 IQD 35.6K

194.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$25.47 IQD 33.4K

248.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$153 IQD 201.0K

527.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$87.3 IQD 114.3K

432.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$262 IQD 343.6K

508.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$279 IQD 365.0K

333.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$795 IQD 1.0M

396.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$919 IQD 1.2M

601.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$484 IQD 633.7K

48.94%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mosul: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 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 49% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Mosul. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, $631 in Mosul – roughly 104% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $947 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $631 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 185% 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 $631, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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 $631 in Mosul to $1,287 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.