Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-`awabi and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-`awabi and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $768 per month in Al-`awabi vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,159 per month in Al-`awabi vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,549 per month in Al-`awabi vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-`awabi is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Al-`awabi and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-`awabi 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 OMR 2.05

$11.99 MX$209

-55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 OMR 10.14

$41.78 MX$728

-36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.01 OMR 2.31

$10.75 MX$187

-44.09%

Cappuccino

$4.46 OMR 1.72

$3.50 MX$60.9

27.43%

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

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$1.45 MX$25.22

-44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.88 MX$15.41

-71.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$10.38 OMR 4.00

$2.95 MX$51.3

251.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.57 OMR 4.07

$4.51 MX$78.6

134.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.43 MX$24.94

37.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 OMR 0.47

$1.84 MX$31.99

-33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 OMR 0.63

$1.57 MX$27.31

4.46%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.51 MX$43.74

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.75 OMR 1.44

$8.28 MX$144

-54.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.88 OMR 1.88

$8.43 MX$147

-42.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.28 OMR 3.19

$10.68 MX$186

-22.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 OMR 0.97

$2.61 MX$45.43

-3.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 OMR 0.67

$1.44 MX$25.04

20.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.96 MX$34.16

-9.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$2.09 MX$36.47

-44.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.85 MX$32.24

-45.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.38

$2.17 MX$37.74

-55.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.03 MX$17.96

5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 OMR 0.20

$1.07 MX$18.70

-50.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.19 OMR 2.38

$4.10 MX$71.4

50.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 OMR 6.01

$10.17 MX$177

53.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.24 OMR 1.63

$1.68 MX$29.17

152.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 OMR 3.04

$2.53 MX$43.98

212.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.06 OMR 1.18

$3.23 MX$56.3

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.41 MX$41.88

-66.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.53 OMR 4.05

$3.23 MX$56.2

226.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.32 MX$23.00

-54.55%

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

$22.9K OMR 8,830

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-22.73%

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

$21.3K OMR 8,195

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-10.00%

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

$108 OMR 41.44

$82.0 MX$1,428

31.31%

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

$40.67 OMR 15.65

$22.95 MX$400

77.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 OMR 26.85

$30.11 MX$524

131.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$10.49 OMR 4.04

$4.98 MX$86.6

110.64%

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

$196 OMR 75.3

$197 MX$3,438

-0.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K OMR 3,868

$5,336 MX$92.9K

88.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 OMR 19.65

$35.60 MX$620

43.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.03 OMR 15.40

$40.33 MX$702

-0.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 OMR 30.74

$78.8 MX$1,371

1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 OMR 34.40

$88.9 MX$1,549

0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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 Al-`awabi: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Al-`awabi versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $249 – making Al-`awabi 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

Al-`awabi vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,152 per month in Al-`awabi and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $768 in Al-`awabi and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $196 per month in Al-`awabi and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – 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 Al-`awabi. 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.