Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Zakho

For one person, living is cheaper in Zakho: $725 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

58

Cost of Living Index in Playa del Carmen
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Playa del Carmen Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Zakho
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Zakho Living Index

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Playa del Carmen

🇲🇽 Mexico

$1,204

/mo nomad

Zakho

🇮🇶 Iraq

$725

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Zakho

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Zakho actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $725 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $1,204
Zakho $725

A couple spends around $2,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,158 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,082
Zakho $1,158

A family of three spends $2,959 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,591 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen $2,959
Zakho $1,591

Playa del Carmen costs about 66% more than Zakho, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zakho are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 12% lower, Zakho 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.92 MX$205

$4.18 IQD 6,310

161.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.37 MX$814

$36.97 IQD 55.9K

17.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.78 MX$221

$7.14 IQD 10.8K

64.99%

Cappuccino

$3.81 MX$71.5

$3.21 IQD 4,856

18.69%

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

$1.28 MX$24.07

$0.83 IQD 1,256

54.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 MX$14.70

$0.33 IQD 506

136.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 MX$59.5

$5.65 IQD 8,535

-43.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.93 MX$92.7

$3.94 IQD 5,960

25.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 MX$26.40

$1.10 IQD 1,669

28.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$41.62

$0.68 IQD 1,023

226.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.42 MX$26.61

$1.50 IQD 2,271

-5.33%

Eggs

$2.52 MX$47.36

$1.58 IQD 2,382

59.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.26 MX$136

$6.88 IQD 10.4K

5.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.70 MX$144

$4.26 IQD 6,440

80.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.69 MX$238

$12.69 IQD 19.2K

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 MX$52.3

$0.98 IQD 1,484

183.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 MX$25.68

$0.94 IQD 1,414

45.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.55 MX$47.89

$1.02 IQD 1,536

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 MX$39.86

$0.65 IQD 986

226.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.94 MX$36.39

$0.61 IQD 920

218.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 MX$35.41

$0.59 IQD 895

220.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 MX$21.53

$0.61 IQD 926

88.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 MX$22.13

$0.51 IQD 775

131.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 MX$80.6

$2.18 IQD 3,300

97.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.95 MX$187

$10.80 IQD 16.3K

-7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$29.73

$1.46 IQD 2,213

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 MX$50.1

$1.81 IQD 2,737

47.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$10.39

$0.29 IQD 439

89.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.62 MX$500

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 MX$93.3

$1.68 IQD 2,546

195.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.33 MX$62.5

$1.61 IQD 2,440

106.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.36 MX$101

$5.65 IQD 8,531

-5.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 MX$27.11

$0.59 IQD 886

144.07%

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

$20.7K MX$388.0K

$16.5K IQD 24.9M

25.51%

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

$23.5K MX$440.5K

$17.1K IQD 25.8M

37.37%

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

$84.8 MX$1,592

$115 IQD 173.5K

-26.15%

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

$23.41 MX$439

$12.27 IQD 18.5K

90.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.66 MX$538

$24.28 IQD 36.7K

18.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$57.1 MX$1,071

$39.56 IQD 59.8K

44.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.91 MX$543

Cinema Ticket

$5.14 MX$96.5

$9.75 IQD 14.7K

-47.28%

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

$207 MX$3,878

$298 IQD 450.7K

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,927 MX$73.7K

$2,742 IQD 4.1M

43.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 MX$814

$26.56 IQD 40.1K

63.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.44 MX$778

$19.78 IQD 29.9K

109.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 MX$1,393

$49.59 IQD 74.9K

49.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 MX$1,676

$39.81 IQD 60.1K

124.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$980 MX$18.4K

$207 IQD 313.3K

372.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 MX$7,150

$136 IQD 205.0K

180.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 MX$32.1K

$370 IQD 558.5K

362.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,075 MX$20.2K

$319 IQD 482.7K

236.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,943 MX$74.0K

$888 IQD 1.3M

343.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,158 MX$115.6K

$551 IQD 833.0K

1016.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$735 MX$13.8K

$660 IQD 997.8K

11.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

2.53

352.57%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Last update for Zakho: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Playa del Carmen

$381 31.6%

Zakho

$136 18.7% 64.4% $245

Groceries & Markets

Playa del Carmen

$255 21.2%

Zakho

$172 23.8% 32.4% $83

Eating Out

Playa del Carmen

$202 16.8%

Zakho

$134 18.5% 33.7% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Playa del Carmen

$137 11.4%

Zakho

$151 20.9% 10.6% $15

Clothing & Footwear

Playa del Carmen

$112 9.3%

Zakho

$61 8.4% 45.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Playa del Carmen

$67 5.6%

Zakho

$59 8.2% 12.3% $8.2

Getting Around

Playa del Carmen

$50 4.2%

Zakho

$11 * 1.5% 78.4% $40

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $980 in Playa del Carmen versus $207 in Zakho. 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 11% 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 in Playa del Carmen versus $37 in Zakho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $255 vs $172 – making Zakho the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen

🇮🇶 Zakho

🕒 Local time

12:28 12:28 PM

20:28 8:28 PM

8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

149,923

197,163

💱 Currency

Mexican Peso MXN $

Iraqi Dinar IQD ع.د

📈 Exchange rate

100 MXN = 5.33 USD

100 MXN = 4.77 EUR

10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD

10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IQD, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇲🇽 Mexican Peso ($)

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

Iraqi Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 1,511 IQD (10,000 IQD = 6.62 USD). 1 EUR = 1,687 IQD (10,000 IQD = 5.93 EUR).

USD to MXN in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Playa del Carmen Zakho 11,710 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight

From you

Playa del Carmen
Zakho

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 66%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,087 in Zakho. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zakho, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $207 there versus $980 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $725 in Zakho. That makes Zakho about 40% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $207 per month in Playa del Carmen and $298 in Zakho. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Zakho, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Zakho 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 $725 in Zakho to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Zakho. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.