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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $893 in Zakho, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,364 in Zakho, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,834 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 44% more than Zakho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zakho are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Zakho 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.72 IQD 10.1K

54.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$22.91 IQD 30.0K

86.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.68 IQD 11.4K

22.00%

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.13 IQD 4,096

15.65%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.48 IQD 628

206.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.22 IQD 288

327.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

$2.01 IQD 2,629

53.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

$2.08 IQD 2,723

114.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.37 IQD 1,789

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$0.81 IQD 1,056

132.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.79 IQD 2,351

-8.94%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.97 IQD 2,586

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$7.57 IQD 9,918

8.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$4.79 IQD 6,276

73.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

-20.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$1.15 IQD 1,502

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.14 IQD 1,494

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.17 IQD 1,537

70.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$0.81 IQD 1,064

156.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$0.67 IQD 879

167.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$0.76 IQD 990

186.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$0.77 IQD 1,013

40.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.52 IQD 687

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.73 IQD 3,576

45.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

-16.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

$1.43 IQD 1,871

20.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

$2.04 IQD 2,669

22.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.40 IQD 522

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$31.69 IQD 41.5K

-14.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$2.32 IQD 3,034

35.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.30 IQD 3,013

4.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$6.74 IQD 8,825

-54.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.70 IQD 913

81.43%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$18.8K IQD 24.6M

64.53%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

14.33%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$99.3 IQD 130.1K

-17.45%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.84 IQD 23.4K

25.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$29.52 IQD 38.7K

0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$37.43 IQD 49.0K

38.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$16.78 IQD 22.0K

11.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.46 IQD 15.0K

-56.63%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$266 IQD 348.2K

-25.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$3,229 IQD 4.2M

63.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$33.39 IQD 43.7K

8.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$48.02 IQD 62.9K

-16.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$80.8 IQD 105.9K

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$78.5 IQD 102.9K

13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$238 IQD 311.5K

305.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$178 IQD 233.3K

160.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$584 IQD 765.1K

173.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$343 IQD 449.8K

252.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$646 IQD 846.8K

11.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.67

101.41%

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 Zakho: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $238 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $23.00 in Zakho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $195 – making Zakho 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 Zakho: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 44%, 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 $1,340 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. 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 $893 in Zakho. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 18% less in Zakho. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zakho, where all-in costs run around $893, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Zakho it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zakho – 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 Zakho. 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.