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 $864 per month in Zakho vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,359 per month in Zakho vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,854 per month in Zakho vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Zakho is about 32% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Zakho and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Zakho 36% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.58 IQD 9,926

$11.87 MX$204

-36.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.64 IQD 29.7K

$42.90 MX$736

-47.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 IQD 11.6K

$10.65 MX$183

-16.62%

Cappuccino

$3.19 IQD 4,184

$3.45 MX$59.2

-7.54%

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

$0.48 IQD 628

$1.50 MX$25.81

-68.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 IQD 288

$0.95 MX$16.28

-76.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 IQD 2,656

$3.03 MX$51.9

-33.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 IQD 2,673

$4.61 MX$79.1

-55.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 IQD 1,739

$1.38 MX$23.61

-3.62%

White Bread (500g)

$0.79 IQD 1,039

$1.85 MX$31.70

-57.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 IQD 2,434

$1.61 MX$27.65

15.53%

Eggs

$1.90 IQD 2,489

$2.59 MX$44.51

-26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.27 IQD 9,524

$8.26 MX$142

-11.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.81 IQD 6,294

$8.37 MX$144

-42.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 IQD 18.5K

$10.66 MX$183

32.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 IQD 1,510

$2.63 MX$45.12

-56.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 IQD 1,558

$1.49 MX$25.53

-20.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.18 IQD 1,541

$1.92 MX$32.94

-38.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 IQD 1,062

$2.09 MX$35.81

-61.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 IQD 864

$1.86 MX$31.88

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 IQD 933

$2.26 MX$38.81

-68.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.72 IQD 947

$1.06 MX$18.23

-32.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 IQD 727

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.62 IQD 3,430

$4.15 MX$71.2

-36.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 IQD 16.2K

$10.39 MX$178

18.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 IQD 1,898

$1.72 MX$29.59

-15.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 IQD 2,542

$2.61 MX$44.85

-25.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 IQD 521

$0.54 MX$9.30

-25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.88 IQD 40.4K

$26.94 MX$462

14.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 IQD 2,965

$3.13 MX$53.7

-27.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 IQD 2,921

$2.51 MX$43.09

-11.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.00 IQD 9,165

$3.15 MX$54.1

122.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 IQD 912

$1.27 MX$21.88

-44.88%

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

$19.2K IQD 25.1M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-36.84%

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

$20.6K IQD 27.0M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.65%

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

$100 IQD 131.0K

$83.0 MX$1,425

20.52%

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

$17.47 IQD 22.9K

$22.71 MX$390

-23.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.69 IQD 38.9K

$29.46 MX$506

0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 IQD 48.7K

$51.0 MX$875

-27.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.01 IQD 22.3K

$18.33 MX$315

-7.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.66 IQD 15.3K

$4.93 MX$84.5

136.51%

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

$272 IQD 355.7K

$197 MX$3,386

37.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,319 IQD 4.3M

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-37.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.98 IQD 43.2K

$36.90 MX$633

-10.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.77 IQD 65.2K

$39.89 MX$685

24.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 IQD 107.4K

$80.0 MX$1,373

2.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.1 IQD 99.6K

$89.5 MX$1,536

-14.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$246 IQD 321.7K

$956 MX$16.4K

-74.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 IQD 236.0K

$477 MX$8,189

-62.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$580 IQD 759.4K

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-64.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 IQD 448.6K

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-72.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 IQD 863.5K

$667 MX$11.4K

-1.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $246 in Zakho versus $956 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 1% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $195 vs $250 – 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 47%, 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 $1,296 per month in Zakho and $1,906 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 $864 in Zakho and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 15% 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 $864, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.