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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $890 in Zakho, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,364 in Zakho, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,839 in Zakho, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 42% 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 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

50.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$23.31 IQD 30.5K

79.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.61 IQD 11.3K

22.07%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.09 IQD 4,043

16.18%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.52 IQD 677

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.20 IQD 262

360.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$2.01 IQD 2,636

47.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$2.16 IQD 2,825

104.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.34 IQD 1,750

4.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.79 IQD 1,040

137.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$1.86 IQD 2,432

-16.13%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.90 IQD 2,491

37.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$7.42 IQD 9,721

12.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.73 IQD 6,199

76.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$13.98 IQD 18.3K

-22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.14 IQD 1,487

137.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.18 IQD 1,551

27.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.13 IQD 1,479

65.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.82 IQD 1,068

167.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.66 IQD 860

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.71 IQD 933

214.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.74 IQD 967

44.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.53 IQD 692

105.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$2.73 IQD 3,569

53.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

-14.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.38 IQD 1,807

20.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$2.03 IQD 2,661

28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.36 IQD 473

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

-14.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$2.27 IQD 2,976

35.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.22 IQD 2,912

8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$6.98 IQD 9,142

-55.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.70 IQD 919

87.14%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

57.04%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$20.9K IQD 27.3M

11.71%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$101 IQD 131.6K

-19.13%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

28.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$30.20 IQD 39.5K

-0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

45.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$17.06 IQD 22.3K

7.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$11.42 IQD 15.0K

-56.92%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$267 IQD 349.6K

-24.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

59.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$32.29 IQD 42.3K

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$48.66 IQD 63.7K

-17.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$83.9 IQD 109.9K

-4.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

10.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$238 IQD 311.3K

311.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$181 IQD 236.8K

160.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$576 IQD 753.6K

186.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$342 IQD 447.6K

252.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$663 IQD 867.7K

2.11%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zakho: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 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 2% 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 $23.00 in Zakho. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $194 – 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 42%, 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,335 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 $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $890 in Zakho. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 17% 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 $890, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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.