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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $614 in Mosul, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $991 in Mosul, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,368 in Mosul, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 107% 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 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$3.48 IQD 4,552

241.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$19.03 IQD 24.9K

125.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$6.07 IQD 7,948

75.45%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$1.55 IQD 2,027

122.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.38 IQD 492

294.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.21 IQD 271

352.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$1.57 IQD 2,060

92.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$1.57 IQD 2,062

193.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$0.97 IQD 1,273

42.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.82 IQD 1,069

125.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.30 IQD 1,702

23.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.54 IQD 2,011

68.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.37 IQD 4,416

145.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$3.97 IQD 5,199

110.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.62 IQD 15.2K

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$0.69 IQD 907

281.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.06 IQD 1,391

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$0.67 IQD 871

186.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.44 IQD 573

375.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.48 IQD 635

287.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.53 IQD 700

326.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.44 IQD 580

140.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.52 IQD 687

109.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$1.88 IQD 2,468

120.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$7.82 IQD 10.2K

32.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.39 IQD 1,815

23.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.90 IQD 2,483

37.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.40 IQD 520

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$75.6 IQD 99.0K

-64.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$1.51 IQD 1,977

107.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.53 IQD 1,999

64.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$4.61 IQD 6,035

-31.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.53 IQD 691

139.62%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$17.5K IQD 22.9M

73.59%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.0K IQD 26.2M

17.66%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$102 IQD 133.7K

-18.68%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$15.38 IQD 20.1K

47.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.50 IQD 38.6K

-0.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$22.36 IQD 29.3K

128.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$21.31 IQD 27.9K

-13.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$9.82 IQD 12.9K

-49.80%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$181 IQD 237.3K

8.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,299 IQD 4.3M

60.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$15.42 IQD 20.2K

139.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$19.47 IQD 25.5K

104.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$27.19 IQD 35.6K

194.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$25.07 IQD 32.8K

256.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$151 IQD 197.9K

532.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$86.9 IQD 113.7K

449.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$269 IQD 351.7K

512.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$283 IQD 371.0K

332.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$793 IQD 1.0M

393.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$917 IQD 1.2M

604.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$480 IQD 628.2K

39.04%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Mosul: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $151 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 39% 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: $250 vs $146 – 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: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $614 in Mosul – roughly 107% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $922 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $614 in Mosul. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 181% 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 $614, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $614 in Mosul to $1,271 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.