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: $819 in Adam versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,212 in Adam versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,605 in Adam versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Adam costs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Adam 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.07 OMR 1.95

$11.94 MX$209

-57.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.41 OMR 10.14

$42.75 MX$748

-38.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 OMR 3.03

$10.59 MX$185

-25.50%

Cappuccino

$4.94 OMR 1.90

$3.62 MX$63.4

36.46%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.47 MX$25.69

-31.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 OMR 0.12

$0.94 MX$16.51

-67.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.39 OMR 4.76

$3.09 MX$54.1

300.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.77 OMR 4.52

$4.46 MX$78.0

163.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$1.43 MX$24.94

34.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$1.88 MX$32.97

-37.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.66

$1.63 MX$28.50

6.13%

Eggs

$2.35 OMR 0.90

$2.64 MX$46.26

-10.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.72 OMR 1.43

$8.21 MX$144

-54.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$8.29 MX$145

-41.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 OMR 3.37

$11.10 MX$194

-20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 OMR 0.99

$2.65 MX$46.40

-3.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 OMR 0.64

$1.50 MX$26.26

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.70

$1.99 MX$34.79

-8.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$2.08 MX$36.33

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 OMR 0.36

$1.79 MX$31.29

-48.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$2.18 MX$38.09

-53.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 OMR 0.40

$1.08 MX$18.84

-3.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$1.04 MX$18.15

-46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.47

$3.97 MX$69.5

62.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 OMR 5.97

$10.20 MX$179

52.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$1.73 MX$30.22

153.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 OMR 3.08

$2.50 MX$43.71

221.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 OMR 1.21

$3.14 MX$55.0

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.40 MX$42.04

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.43 OMR 4.00

$3.09 MX$54.0

237.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.24

$1.27 MX$22.28

-49.61%

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

$22.7K OMR 8,730

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-26.38%

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

$21.9K OMR 8,401

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-6.17%

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

$107 OMR 41.04

$82.0 MX$1,435

30.30%

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

$40.67 OMR 15.62

$22.45 MX$393

81.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 OMR 26.84

$29.66 MX$519

135.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$10.36 OMR 3.98

$4.97 MX$87.0

108.45%

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

$193 OMR 74.0

$198 MX$3,462

-2.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,842

$5,273 MX$92.3K

89.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.69 OMR 19.08

$36.34 MX$636

36.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.32 OMR 15.10

$40.05 MX$701

-1.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 OMR 30.05

$79.9 MX$1,398

-2.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 OMR 33.53

$88.9 MX$1,555

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,591 OMR 995

$720 MX$12.6K

259.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

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

Last update for Adam: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Adam pays 260% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Adam vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $251 per month, with Adam 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

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

Adam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 57% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Adam pays 260% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $193 in Adam versus $198 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 $26.00 versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $819 in Adam versus $1,287 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 57% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.