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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $749 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,184 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,619 in Sulaymaniyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 73% 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 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$5.41 IQD 7,088

116.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

57.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$7.04 IQD 9,215

47.87%

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$2.58 IQD 3,381

39.92%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.37 IQD 483

294.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.18 IQD 231

438.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

$2.07 IQD 2,715

41.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

$2.68 IQD 3,506

72.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.48 IQD 1,939

-3.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.01 IQD 1,329

88.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.61 IQD 2,108

-2.48%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$1.71 IQD 2,243

54.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$6.09 IQD 7,980

38.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$3.42 IQD 4,483

150.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-21.15%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$1.23 IQD 1,605

119.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.29 IQD 1,685

17.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.32 IQD 1,734

44.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$0.70 IQD 913

210.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$0.63 IQD 824

196.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$0.64 IQD 835

248.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.56 IQD 728

92.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.48 IQD 629

122.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$1.87 IQD 2,443

122.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

-8.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

$1.56 IQD 2,049

7.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

$1.83 IQD 2,400

38.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.55 IQD 721

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

16.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$2.33 IQD 3,052

37.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.24 IQD 2,934

9.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$5.43 IQD 7,109

-41.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.73 IQD 955

80.82%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

48.07%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

10.44%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

6.84%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

35.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

11.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

29.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

7.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

-34.18%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$149 IQD 195.7K

34.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

50.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

50.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

59.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

80.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

144.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$239 IQD 313.4K

296.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$176 IQD 230.4K

171.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$574 IQD 751.0K

182.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$350 IQD 458.1K

249.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

$816 IQD 1.1M

391.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

$588 IQD 769.5K

1001.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

$574 IQD 752.3K

17.14%

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 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 17% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 vs $183 – 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 73%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,123 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $749 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 $749, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.