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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Zakho is about 29% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zakho and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zakho 33% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.77 IQD 10.2K

$11.72 MX$203

-33.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.31 IQD 30.5K

$41.89 MX$725

-44.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 IQD 11.3K

$10.51 MX$182

-18.08%

Cappuccino

$3.09 IQD 4,043

$3.59 MX$62.0

-13.93%

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

$0.52 IQD 677

$1.51 MX$26.10

-65.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 IQD 262

$0.92 MX$15.83

-78.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 IQD 2,636

$2.96 MX$51.2

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 IQD 2,825

$4.41 MX$76.3

-51.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 IQD 1,750

$1.40 MX$24.16

-4.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,040

$1.88 MX$32.60

-57.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,432

$1.56 MX$26.97

19.23%

Eggs

$1.90 IQD 2,491

$2.61 MX$45.14

-27.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 IQD 9,721

$8.32 MX$144

-10.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.73 IQD 6,199

$8.35 MX$145

-43.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.98 IQD 18.3K

$10.86 MX$188

28.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.14 IQD 1,487

$2.71 MX$46.93

-57.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,551

$1.51 MX$26.04

-21.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.13 IQD 1,479

$1.87 MX$32.41

-39.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.82 IQD 1,068

$2.19 MX$37.89

-62.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 860

$1.86 MX$32.14

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$2.23 MX$38.59

-68.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 IQD 967

$1.07 MX$18.48

-30.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 IQD 692

$1.09 MX$18.79

-51.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 IQD 3,569

$4.19 MX$72.4

-34.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 IQD 16.0K

$10.43 MX$180

17.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 IQD 1,807

$1.66 MX$28.68

-16.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 IQD 2,661

$2.61 MX$45.19

-22.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 IQD 473

$0.54 MX$9.37

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.67 IQD 40.2K

$26.16 MX$453

17.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 IQD 2,976

$3.08 MX$53.3

-26.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 IQD 2,912

$2.40 MX$41.61

-7.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 IQD 9,142

$3.13 MX$54.1

123.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 919

$1.31 MX$22.69

-46.56%

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

$19.0K IQD 24.9M

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-36.32%

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

$20.9K IQD 27.3M

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-10.48%

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

$101 IQD 131.6K

$81.3 MX$1,406

23.66%

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

$17.58 IQD 23.0K

$22.56 MX$390

-22.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.20 IQD 39.5K

$30.05 MX$520

0.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.33 IQD 47.6K

$52.9 MX$915

-31.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.06 IQD 22.3K

$18.39 MX$318

-7.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.42 IQD 15.0K

$4.92 MX$85.1

132.11%

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

$267 IQD 349.6K

$201 MX$3,474

32.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,247 IQD 4.3M

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-37.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.29 IQD 42.3K

$35.92 MX$622

-10.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.66 IQD 63.7K

$40.13 MX$694

21.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.9 IQD 109.9K

$79.7 MX$1,379

5.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 IQD 102.9K

$86.5 MX$1,496

-9.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$238 IQD 311.3K

$978 MX$16.9K

-75.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$181 IQD 236.8K

$470 MX$8,140

-61.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 IQD 753.6K

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-65.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$342 IQD 447.6K

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-71.59%

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)

$663 IQD 867.7K

$677 MX$11.7K

-2.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

11.42

-50.35%

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

Last update for Zakho: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $238 in Zakho versus $978 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 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 $23.00 in Zakho versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $252 – 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

Zakho vs Playa del Carmen: 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 $1,335 per month in Zakho and $1,890 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 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 $890 in Zakho and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. 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.