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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $945 in Adam versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,427 in Adam versus $2,279 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,910 in Adam versus $3,292 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Adam costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Adam 31% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.33 OMR 2.05

$11.60 MX$200

-54.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.37 OMR 12.85

$47.11 MX$811

-29.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

$11.88 MX$205

-35.10%

Cappuccino

$4.83 OMR 1.86

$3.98 MX$68.5

21.36%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$1.43 MX$24.57

-40.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.82 MX$14.20

-64.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.07 OMR 5.03

$3.19 MX$54.9

309.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.97 OMR 4.99

$6.79 MX$117

91.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 OMR 0.91

$1.68 MX$28.85

41.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$2.20 MX$37.83

-41.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.88 OMR 0.72

$1.71 MX$29.41

9.94%

Eggs

$2.87 OMR 1.10

$2.74 MX$47.20

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.67 OMR 2.95

$9.58 MX$165

-19.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.81 OMR 2.62

$9.01 MX$155

-24.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 OMR 4.04

$12.81 MX$221

-17.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 OMR 1.32

$2.89 MX$49.74

19.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$1.50 MX$25.78

28.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.34 OMR 0.90

$2.15 MX$36.98

8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 OMR 0.46

$2.26 MX$38.91

-46.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

$1.98 MX$34.10

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.99 MX$34.26

-37.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 OMR 0.68

$1.23 MX$21.25

44.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 OMR 0.26

$1.20 MX$20.60

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.32 OMR 2.43

$4.55 MX$78.3

38.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 OMR 6.11

$10.37 MX$179

53.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.67 OMR 2.18

$1.62 MX$27.88

250.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.94 OMR 3.44

$2.88 MX$49.60

210.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 OMR 1.26

$5.39 MX$92.8

-39.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.61 OMR 1.01

$3.73 MX$64.2

-30.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.61 OMR 2.93

$5.77 MX$99.3

31.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.54 MX$26.45

-61.04%

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

$25.9K OMR 9,979

$22.5K MX$388.3K

14.95%

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

$22.4K OMR 8,642

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-13.86%

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

$172 OMR 66.3

$91.4 MX$1,573

88.41%

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

$30.89 OMR 11.89

$25.20 MX$434

22.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 OMR 27.45

$31.24 MX$538

128.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 OMR 4.01

$4.86 MX$83.7

114.61%

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

$288 OMR 111

$224 MX$3,851

28.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.4K OMR 4,017

$4,229 MX$72.8K

146.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.7 OMR 21.44

$47.10 MX$811

18.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.50 OMR 16.75

$44.29 MX$763

-1.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 OMR 34.33

$80.1 MX$1,379

11.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.6 OMR 37.18

$92.7 MX$1,596

4.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$258 OMR 99.4

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-87.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,619 OMR 1,008

$758 MX$13.1K

245.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.45

-54.15%

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

Last update for Adam: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 245% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Adam vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $276, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

Adam is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 245% higher in Adam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $288 in Adam versus $224 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Adam – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $945 in Adam versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Adam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Adam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Adam 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, Adam 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 Adam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.