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 $749 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,184 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,619 per month in Sulaymaniyah vs $3,084 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.41 IQD 7,088

$11.73 MX$202

-53.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.49 IQD 34.7K

$41.78 MX$719

-36.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.04 IQD 9,215

$10.41 MX$179

-32.37%

Cappuccino

$2.58 IQD 3,381

$3.61 MX$62.1

-28.53%

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

$0.37 IQD 483

$1.46 MX$25.06

-74.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.18 IQD 231

$0.97 MX$16.70

-81.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 IQD 2,715

$2.92 MX$50.3

-29.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 IQD 3,506

$4.62 MX$79.5

-41.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 IQD 1,939

$1.43 MX$24.59

3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 IQD 1,329

$1.90 MX$32.70

-46.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 IQD 2,108

$1.57 MX$26.95

2.55%

Eggs

$1.71 IQD 2,243

$2.64 MX$45.34

-35.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.09 IQD 7,980

$8.44 MX$145

-27.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 IQD 4,483

$8.58 MX$148

-60.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.95 IQD 18.3K

$11.00 MX$189

26.82%

Apples (1kg)

$1.23 IQD 1,605

$2.70 MX$46.51

-54.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.29 IQD 1,685

$1.51 MX$25.92

-14.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 IQD 1,734

$1.91 MX$32.93

-30.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.70 IQD 913

$2.17 MX$37.37

-67.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 IQD 824

$1.87 MX$32.25

-66.31%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 IQD 835

$2.23 MX$38.43

-71.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 IQD 728

$1.08 MX$18.60

-48.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 IQD 629

$1.07 MX$18.47

-55.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.87 IQD 2,443

$4.16 MX$71.6

-55.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.28 IQD 14.8K

$10.29 MX$177

9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 IQD 2,049

$1.68 MX$28.95

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 IQD 2,400

$2.53 MX$43.59

-27.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 IQD 721

$0.55 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.58 IQD 29.6K

$26.29 MX$452

-14.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 IQD 3,052

$3.20 MX$55.0

-27.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.24 IQD 2,934

$2.46 MX$42.37

-8.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 IQD 7,109

$3.20 MX$55.0

69.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 IQD 955

$1.32 MX$22.72

-44.70%

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

$20.4K IQD 26.7M

$30.2K MX$518.8K

-32.47%

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

$21.2K IQD 27.7M

$23.4K MX$402.5K

-9.45%

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

$76.1 IQD 99.7K

$81.4 MX$1,400

-6.40%

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

$16.53 IQD 21.7K

$22.41 MX$386

-26.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.77 IQD 35.0K

$29.97 MX$516

-10.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.77 IQD 52.1K

$51.6 MX$887

-22.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.13 IQD 22.4K

$18.39 MX$316

-6.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 IQD 10.3K

$5.16 MX$88.9

51.94%

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

$149 IQD 195.7K

$202 MX$3,471

-25.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,533 IQD 4.6M

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-33.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.67 IQD 31.0K

$35.61 MX$613

-33.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.30 IQD 33.1K

$40.37 MX$695

-37.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$43.64 IQD 57.1K

$78.6 MX$1,353

-44.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$35.54 IQD 46.5K

$86.9 MX$1,495

-59.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 IQD 313.4K

$950 MX$16.3K

-74.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$176 IQD 230.4K

$478 MX$8,227

-63.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 IQD 751.0K

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-64.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 IQD 458.1K

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-71.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$816 IQD 1.1M

$4,009 MX$69.0K

-79.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$588 IQD 769.5K

$6,473 MX$111.4K

-90.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$574 IQD 752.3K

$673 MX$11.6K

-14.63%

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: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $239 in Sulaymaniyah versus $950 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 17% 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 $26.00 in Sulaymaniyah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $254 – 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 73%, 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 $1,123 per month in Sulaymaniyah and $1,941 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 $749 in Sulaymaniyah and $1,294 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 $749, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.