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 $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $750 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,166 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,581 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Sulaymaniyah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sulaymaniyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Sulaymaniyah 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$5.26 IQD 6,893

127.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

59.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$7.01 IQD 9,180

51.07%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$2.64 IQD 3,461

37.12%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.39 IQD 514

276.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.21 IQD 269

347.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

$2.07 IQD 2,713

49.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

$2.71 IQD 3,549

64.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.41 IQD 1,851

1.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$1.02 IQD 1,332

84.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.61 IQD 2,108

1.24%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$1.78 IQD 2,328

48.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$6.10 IQD 7,996

34.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$3.56 IQD 4,666

132.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

-20.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$1.17 IQD 1,531

126.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.29 IQD 1,693

16.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.27 IQD 1,662

56.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$0.73 IQD 957

184.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$0.61 IQD 798

193.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.67 IQD 879

225.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$0.59 IQD 777

83.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.45 IQD 590

131.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$1.94 IQD 2,535

104.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

-12.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

$1.51 IQD 1,974

14.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

$1.81 IQD 2,367

38.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$0.55 IQD 715

-5.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

16.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$2.36 IQD 3,096

33.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$2.33 IQD 3,053

3.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$5.46 IQD 7,149

-43.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.77 IQD 1,005

64.94%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

52.03%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

13.38%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

7.06%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

32.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

12.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

30.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

10.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$7.47 IQD 9,786

-33.47%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$151 IQD 198.3K

30.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

51.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

55.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

60.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

82.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

144.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$240 IQD 315.0K

300.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$175 IQD 229.3K

165.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$572 IQD 749.5K

178.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$341 IQD 446.3K

254.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

$810 IQD 1.1M

386.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

$579 IQD 758.4K

1013.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$580 IQD 759.5K

24.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

26.89%

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 Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $240 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 24% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $184 – 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 71%, 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 $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,126 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $750 in Sulaymaniyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $750, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.