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: $825 in 'ali versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,329 in 'ali versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,833 in 'ali versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in 'ali costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: 'ali 38% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.64 BHD 2.50

$11.94 MX$208

-44.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.3 BHD 19.65

$42.75 MX$744

22.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 BHD 2.03

$10.59 MX$184

-49.10%

Cappuccino

$5.38 BHD 2.02

$3.62 MX$63.0

48.62%

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

$0.83 BHD 0.31

$1.47 MX$25.54

-43.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$0.94 MX$16.41

-61.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 BHD 2.97

$3.09 MX$53.8

155.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.59 BHD 3.98

$4.46 MX$77.6

137.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 BHD 0.62

$1.43 MX$24.80

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 BHD 0.50

$1.88 MX$32.79

-28.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.41 BHD 0.91

$1.63 MX$28.34

47.85%

Eggs

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$2.64 MX$45.99

-10.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.52 BHD 3.20

$8.21 MX$143

3.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 BHD 2.91

$8.29 MX$144

-6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.32 BHD 3.88

$11.10 MX$193

-7.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 BHD 0.92

$2.65 MX$46.14

-7.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 BHD 0.76

$1.50 MX$26.11

35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 BHD 0.63

$1.99 MX$34.59

-16.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.46

$2.08 MX$36.13

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 BHD 0.33

$1.79 MX$31.11

-50.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 BHD 0.41

$2.18 MX$37.87

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.08 MX$18.73

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$1.04 MX$18.04

-11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.82 BHD 2.56

$3.97 MX$69.1

71.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.33 BHD 6.89

$10.20 MX$178

79.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.39 BHD 1.28

$1.73 MX$30.04

95.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$2.50 MX$43.46

25.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.50 BHD 1.69

$3.14 MX$54.7

43.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.90 BHD 1.47

$2.40 MX$41.80

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.30 BHD 9.89

$3.09 MX$53.7

751.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.56 BHD 0.21

$1.27 MX$22.16

-55.91%

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

$37.4K BHD 14.1K

$30.9K MX$537.3K

21.18%

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

$20.4K BHD 7,673

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-12.47%

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

$122 BHD 45.73

$82.0 MX$1,427

48.30%

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

$27.29 BHD 10.26

$22.45 MX$391

21.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.70 BHD 14.18

$29.66 MX$516

27.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 BHD 3.95

$4.97 MX$86.5

111.47%

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

$389 BHD 146

$198 MX$3,442

96.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,818 BHD 3,316

$5,273 MX$91.7K

67.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.91 BHD 17.26

$36.34 MX$632

26.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.7 BHD 23.93

$40.05 MX$697

58.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 BHD 31.88

$79.9 MX$1,390

6.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 BHD 33.82

$88.9 MX$1,547

1.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,847 BHD 1,447

$720 MX$12.5K

434.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

11.42

-25.04%

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

Last update for 'ali: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 434% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $52.0 in 'ali vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $263 vs $251 per month, with Playa del Carmen cheaper across the board.

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 Eating Out, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

'ali pays 434% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $825 per month in 'ali versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $825 in 'ali versus $1,287 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 56% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.