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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $759 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,194 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,629 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 75% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sulaymaniyah 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$4.61 IQD 6,031

182.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

105.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$6.95 IQD 9,096

81.15%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$2.36 IQD 3,091

69.49%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.46 IQD 603

208.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.23 IQD 302

252.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$4.55 IQD 5,952

-32.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$2.32 IQD 3,044

193.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.36 IQD 1,780

25.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$0.97 IQD 1,265

128.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$1.91 IQD 2,507

-9.95%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$1.74 IQD 2,276

55.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$5.04 IQD 6,595

85.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$3.44 IQD 4,504

157.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

-17.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.33 IQD 1,741

135.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.25 IQD 1,642

24.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.15 IQD 1,512

86.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$0.70 IQD 920

235.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.58 IQD 763

248.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$0.74 IQD 966

168.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$0.71 IQD 933

74.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.53 IQD 697

124.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$2.37 IQD 3,100

96.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

-9.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$1.92 IQD 2,519

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$1.74 IQD 2,284

67.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$0.56 IQD 728

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

30.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.26 IQD 2,953

135.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$2.24 IQD 2,932

66.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$5.20 IQD 6,808

11.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.65 IQD 856

138.46%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

7.55%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

33.34%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$102 IQD 133.2K

-12.25%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

119.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

11.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

92.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

47.07%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.48 IQD 9,793

-32.35%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$176 IQD 230.6K

26.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

48.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

145.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

71.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

118.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

138.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$228 IQD 298.0K

369.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$176 IQD 230.2K

123.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$514 IQD 672.5K

287.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$361 IQD 472.4K

261.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$827 IQD 1.1M

388.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$565 IQD 740.2K

1072.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$571 IQD 747.4K

30.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

5.77

101.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $228 in Sulaymaniyah. 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 31% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $188 – making Sulaymaniyah 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 Sulaymaniyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,138 in Sulaymaniyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sulaymaniyah, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $759 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Sulaymaniyah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sulaymaniyah, where all-in costs run around $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Sulaymaniyah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sulaymaniyah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sulaymaniyah. 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.