Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-birah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,102 per month in Al-birah vs $1,294 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,927 per month in Al-birah vs $2,189 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,751 per month in Al-birah vs $3,084 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-birah is about 15% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-birah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-birah 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.52 ₪27.64

$11.73 MX$202

-18.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.28 ₪123

$41.78 MX$719

1.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 ₪32.56

$10.41 MX$179

7.68%

Cappuccino

$3.76 ₪10.93

$3.61 MX$62.1

4.16%

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

$0.76 ₪2.20

$1.46 MX$25.07

-47.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 ₪1.75

$0.97 MX$16.70

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.66 ₪16.45

$2.92 MX$50.3

93.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 ₪15.95

$4.62 MX$79.6

18.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ₪5.63

$1.43 MX$24.60

35.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.58 ₪1.68

$1.90 MX$32.72

-69.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.61 ₪7.58

$1.57 MX$26.96

66.24%

Eggs

$2.16 ₪6.28

$2.64 MX$45.36

-18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.18 ₪17.93

$8.44 MX$145

-26.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 ₪19.15

$8.58 MX$148

-23.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 ₪45.24

$11.00 MX$189

41.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 ₪7.64

$2.70 MX$46.52

-2.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 ₪4.18

$1.51 MX$25.93

-4.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.44 ₪4.18

$1.91 MX$32.95

-24.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ₪5.58

$2.17 MX$37.39

-11.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ₪3.06

$1.87 MX$32.27

-43.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ₪3.87

$2.23 MX$38.44

-40.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 ₪4.04

$1.08 MX$18.61

28.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 ₪2.36

$1.07 MX$18.47

-24.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.51 ₪21.81

$4.16 MX$71.6

80.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 ₪8.11

$1.68 MX$28.96

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ₪7.24

$2.53 MX$43.60

-1.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ₪2.79

$0.55 MX$9.53

74.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$58.8 ₪171

$26.29 MX$452

123.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ₪8.09

$3.20 MX$55.1

-12.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 ₪3.71

$2.46 MX$42.38

-47.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ₪40.99

$3.20 MX$55.1

340.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 ₪5.59

$1.32 MX$22.72

45.45%

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

$36.6K ₪106.4K

$30.2K MX$519.0K

21.45%

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

$45.3K ₪131.5K

$23.4K MX$402.7K

93.50%

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

$83.5 ₪243

$81.4 MX$1,400

2.66%

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

$18.76 ₪54.5

$22.41 MX$386

-16.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.38 ₪135

$29.97 MX$516

54.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 ₪161

$51.6 MX$887

7.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.27 ₪82.1

$18.39 MX$317

53.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.27 ₪24.00

$5.16 MX$88.9

60.27%

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

$212 ₪617

$202 MX$3,473

5.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,900 ₪11.3K

$5,311 MX$91.4K

-26.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.60 ₪124

$35.61 MX$613

19.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.99 ₪113

$40.37 MX$695

-3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.5 ₪161

$78.6 MX$1,353

-29.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.43 ₪120

$86.9 MX$1,495

-52.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 ₪1,026

$950 MX$16.4K

-62.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 ₪927

$478 MX$8,230

-33.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$857 ₪2,488

$1,621 MX$27.9K

-47.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 ₪2,742

$1,223 MX$21.0K

-22.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

11.42

-50.79%

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

Last update for Al-birah: June 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $353 in Al-birah versus $950 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Al-birah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $220 vs $254 – making Al-birah 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-birah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,102 in Al-birah, $1,294 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 17% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,653 per month in Al-birah and $1,941 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al-birah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Al-birah and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-birah, where all-in costs run around $1,102, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. In Al-birah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,102 in Al-birah to $1,294 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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-birah. 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.