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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $864 in Zakho, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,359 in Zakho, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,854 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 47% more than Zakho, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Zakho are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Zakho 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.58 IQD 9,926

56.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

89.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

19.93%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$3.19 IQD 4,184

8.15%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.48 IQD 628

212.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.22 IQD 288

331.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$2.03 IQD 2,656

49.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$2.04 IQD 2,673

125.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.33 IQD 1,739

3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.79 IQD 1,039

134.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.86 IQD 2,434

-13.44%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.90 IQD 2,489

36.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$7.27 IQD 9,524

13.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.81 IQD 6,294

74.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.15 IQD 1,510

128.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.19 IQD 1,558

25.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.18 IQD 1,541

62.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$0.81 IQD 1,062

158.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.66 IQD 864

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.71 IQD 933

218.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.72 IQD 947

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 IQD 727

94.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.62 IQD 3,430

58.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

-15.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$1.45 IQD 1,898

18.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$1.94 IQD 2,542

34.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.40 IQD 521

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

-12.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.26 IQD 2,965

38.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$2.23 IQD 2,921

12.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$7.00 IQD 9,165

-55.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.70 IQD 912

81.43%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

58.33%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

14.48%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$100 IQD 131.0K

-17.02%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

29.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

-0.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

37.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

7.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

-57.72%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$272 IQD 355.7K

-27.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

59.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

-19.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

-2.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

17.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$246 IQD 321.7K

289.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$180 IQD 236.0K

164.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$580 IQD 759.4K

183.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$343 IQD 448.6K

257.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$659 IQD 863.5K

1.15%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zakho: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 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 1% 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: $250 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 47%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,296 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $864 in Zakho. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $864, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.