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 $750 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,166 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,581 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sulaymaniyah is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Sulaymaniyah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Sulaymaniyah 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.26 IQD 6,893

$11.94 MX$208

-55.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

$42.75 MX$744

-37.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.01 IQD 9,180

$10.59 MX$184

-33.81%

Cappuccino

$2.64 IQD 3,461

$3.62 MX$63.0

-27.07%

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

$0.39 IQD 514

$1.47 MX$25.54

-73.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 IQD 269

$0.94 MX$16.41

-77.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,713

$3.09 MX$53.8

-33.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 IQD 3,549

$4.46 MX$77.6

-39.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 IQD 1,851

$1.43 MX$24.80

-1.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 IQD 1,332

$1.88 MX$32.79

-45.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$1.63 MX$28.34

-1.23%

Eggs

$1.78 IQD 2,328

$2.64 MX$45.99

-32.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.10 IQD 7,996

$8.21 MX$143

-25.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 IQD 4,666

$8.29 MX$144

-57.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.01 IQD 18.4K

$11.10 MX$193

26.22%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 IQD 1,531

$2.65 MX$46.14

-55.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,693

$1.50 MX$26.11

-14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.27 IQD 1,662

$1.99 MX$34.59

-36.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 IQD 957

$2.08 MX$36.13

-64.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 IQD 798

$1.79 MX$31.11

-65.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 IQD 879

$2.18 MX$37.87

-69.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 IQD 777

$1.08 MX$18.73

-45.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 IQD 590

$1.04 MX$18.04

-56.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.94 IQD 2,535

$3.97 MX$69.1

-51.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.61 IQD 15.2K

$10.20 MX$178

13.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 IQD 1,974

$1.73 MX$30.04

-12.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 IQD 2,367

$2.50 MX$43.46

-27.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 715

$0.52 MX$9.02

5.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.16 IQD 30.3K

$26.97 MX$469

-14.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 IQD 3,096

$3.14 MX$54.7

-24.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.33 IQD 3,053

$2.40 MX$41.80

-2.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.46 IQD 7,149

$3.09 MX$53.7

76.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 IQD 1,005

$1.27 MX$22.16

-39.37%

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

$20.3K IQD 26.6M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-34.23%

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

$20.6K IQD 26.9M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-11.80%

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

$76.6 IQD 100.3K

$82.0 MX$1,427

-6.60%

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

$16.90 IQD 22.1K

$22.45 MX$391

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.27 IQD 34.4K

$29.66 MX$516

-11.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 IQD 51.9K

$51.9 MX$903

-23.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.92 IQD 22.2K

$18.67 MX$325

-9.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 IQD 9,786

$4.97 MX$86.5

50.30%

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

$151 IQD 198.3K

$198 MX$3,442

-23.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,491 IQD 4.6M

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-33.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.36 IQD 30.6K

$36.34 MX$632

-35.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.92 IQD 32.6K

$40.05 MX$697

-37.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.74 IQD 57.3K

$79.9 MX$1,390

-45.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$36.40 IQD 47.7K

$88.9 MX$1,547

-59.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$240 IQD 315.0K

$963 MX$16.8K

-75.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 IQD 229.3K

$465 MX$8,086

-62.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$572 IQD 749.5K

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-64.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 IQD 446.3K

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-71.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$810 IQD 1.1M

$3,942 MX$68.6K

-79.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$579 IQD 758.4K

$6,448 MX$112.2K

-91.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$580 IQD 759.5K

$720 MX$12.5K

-19.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-21.19%

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

Last update for Sulaymaniyah: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $240 in Sulaymaniyah versus $963 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 24% 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 $27.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $184 vs $251 – 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 71%, 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 $1,126 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,930 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 $750 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 16% 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 $750, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.