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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $759 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,194 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,629 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 43% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 45% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.61 IQD 6,031

$13.02 MX$221

-64.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.56 IQD 29.5K

$46.25 MX$784

-51.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 IQD 9,096

$12.59 MX$213

-44.80%

Cappuccino

$2.36 IQD 3,091

$4.00 MX$67.9

-41.00%

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

$0.46 IQD 603

$1.42 MX$24.08

-67.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 IQD 302

$0.81 MX$13.73

-71.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.55 IQD 5,952

$3.05 MX$51.7

49.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 IQD 3,044

$6.82 MX$116

-65.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 IQD 1,780

$1.71 MX$29.04

-20.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.97 IQD 1,265

$2.22 MX$37.62

-56.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 IQD 2,507

$1.72 MX$29.13

11.05%

Eggs

$1.74 IQD 2,276

$2.71 MX$45.99

-35.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 IQD 6,595

$9.37 MX$159

-46.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 IQD 4,504

$8.86 MX$150

-61.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 IQD 20.3K

$12.78 MX$217

21.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 IQD 1,741

$3.13 MX$53.0

-57.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 IQD 1,642

$1.55 MX$26.24

-19.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,512

$2.15 MX$36.51

-46.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 920

$2.35 MX$39.89

-70.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 IQD 763

$2.02 MX$34.23

-71.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.74 IQD 966

$1.99 MX$33.67

-62.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 IQD 933

$1.24 MX$21.09

-42.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 697

$1.19 MX$20.21

-55.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 IQD 3,100

$4.65 MX$78.8

-49.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$10.47 MX$177

10.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 IQD 2,519

$1.58 MX$26.82

21.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 IQD 2,284

$2.92 MX$49.48

-40.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 IQD 728

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.76 IQD 29.8K

$29.76 MX$504

-23.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,953

$5.32 MX$90.2

-57.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,932

$3.72 MX$63.0

-39.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 IQD 6,808

$5.78 MX$97.9

-10.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 IQD 856

$1.55 MX$26.27

-58.06%

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

$20.8K IQD 27.2M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-7.02%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-25.00%

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

$102 IQD 133.2K

$89.3 MX$1,513

13.96%

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

$10.63 IQD 13.9K

$23.30 MX$395

-54.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.41 IQD 37.2K

$31.72 MX$538

-10.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.69 IQD 46.7K

$68.8 MX$1,165

-48.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.99 IQD 26.2K

$29.40 MX$498

-32.01%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 IQD 9,793

$5.06 MX$85.7

47.83%

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

$176 IQD 230.6K

$222 MX$3,765

-20.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,882 IQD 3.8M

$4,293 MX$72.7K

-32.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.84 IQD 24.7K

$46.21 MX$783

-59.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.87 IQD 33.9K

$44.43 MX$753

-41.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-54.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$38.78 IQD 50.8K

$92.5 MX$1,568

-58.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$228 IQD 298.0K

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-78.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.2K

$393 MX$6,663

-55.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 IQD 672.5K

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-74.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$361 IQD 472.4K

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-72.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$827 IQD 1.1M

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-79.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$565 IQD 740.2K

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-91.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$571 IQD 747.4K

$747 MX$12.7K

-23.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

11.6

-50.26%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $228 in Sulaymaniyah versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. 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 31% 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 $23.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $188 vs $277 – 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

Sulaymaniyah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 75%, 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 $1,138 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $759 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% 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 $759, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.