Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between 'ali and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $816 in 'ali versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,299 in 'ali versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,782 in 'ali versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 39% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ali 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 BHD 2.44

$13.02 MX$221

-50.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 BHD 20.07

$46.25 MX$784

15.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.31 BHD 2.75

$12.59 MX$213

-41.94%

Cappuccino

$4.83 BHD 1.82

$4.00 MX$67.9

20.75%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.42 MX$24.08

-40.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 BHD 0.11

$0.81 MX$13.73

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.80 BHD 2.57

$3.05 MX$51.7

122.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$6.82 MX$116

47.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.71 MX$29.04

-13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.11 BHD 0.42

$2.22 MX$37.62

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 BHD 0.90

$1.72 MX$29.13

38.95%

Eggs

$2.24 BHD 0.85

$2.71 MX$45.99

-17.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.62 BHD 3.25

$9.37 MX$159

-8.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 BHD 2.43

$8.86 MX$150

-27.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 BHD 3.25

$12.78 MX$217

-32.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$3.13 MX$53.0

-26.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$1.55 MX$26.24

50.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BHD 0.70

$2.15 MX$36.51

-13.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 BHD 0.53

$2.35 MX$39.89

-40.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$2.02 MX$34.23

-48.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 BHD 0.51

$1.99 MX$33.67

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.49 BHD 0.56

$1.24 MX$21.09

20.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.19 MX$20.21

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.26 BHD 1.98

$4.65 MX$78.8

13.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.65 BHD 7.03

$10.47 MX$177

78.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.60 BHD 1.36

$1.58 MX$26.82

127.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$2.92 MX$49.48

-10.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.22 BHD 1.97

$5.32 MX$90.2

-1.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.49 BHD 1.32

$3.72 MX$63.0

-6.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.68 BHD 5.91

$5.78 MX$97.9

171.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 BHD 0.24

$1.55 MX$26.27

-58.06%

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

$37.4K BHD 14.1K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

67.10%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,593

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-21.23%

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

$155 BHD 58.5

$89.3 MX$1,513

73.85%

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

$24.34 BHD 9.18

$23.30 MX$395

4.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.30 BHD 13.31

$31.72 MX$538

11.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 BHD 3.96

$5.06 MX$85.7

107.71%

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

$482 BHD 182

$222 MX$3,765

117.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,156

$4,293 MX$72.7K

156.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 BHD 18.98

$46.21 MX$783

8.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 BHD 21.78

$44.43 MX$753

30.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.6 BHD 32.64

$95.5 MX$1,618

-9.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 BHD 33.61

$92.5 MX$1,568

-3.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,722 BHD 1,403

$747 MX$12.7K

398.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.6

-46.47%

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

Last update for 'ali: August 18, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 398% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in 'ali vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $277, with 'ali cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 398% higher in 'ali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $816 per month in 'ali versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $816 in 'ali versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, 'ali and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.