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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,303 in Al-Buraimi versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,596 in Al-Buraimi versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al-Buraimi costs roughly 20% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al-Buraimi 24% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$11.99 MX$209

-55.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.64 OMR 9.87

$41.78 MX$728

-38.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 OMR 2.92

$10.75 MX$187

-29.49%

Cappuccino

$4.76 OMR 1.83

$3.50 MX$60.9

36.00%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.45 MX$25.22

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.88 MX$15.41

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.37 OMR 4.76

$2.95 MX$51.3

319.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.87 OMR 4.57

$4.51 MX$78.6

163.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 OMR 0.76

$1.43 MX$24.94

39.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.84 MX$31.99

-33.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 OMR 0.63

$1.57 MX$27.31

5.10%

Eggs

$2.40 OMR 0.92

$2.51 MX$43.74

-4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.81 OMR 1.46

$8.28 MX$144

-53.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.13 OMR 1.97

$8.43 MX$147

-39.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 OMR 3.38

$10.68 MX$186

-17.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.61 MX$45.43

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.44 MX$25.04

20.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$1.96 MX$34.16

-5.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 OMR 0.44

$2.09 MX$36.47

-45.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.85 MX$32.24

-44.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$2.17 MX$37.74

-55.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$1.03 MX$17.96

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.21

$1.07 MX$18.70

-47.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.44 OMR 2.48

$4.10 MX$71.4

57.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 OMR 6.05

$10.17 MX$177

54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.42 OMR 1.70

$1.68 MX$29.17

163.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.79 OMR 3.00

$2.53 MX$43.98

207.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 OMR 1.01

$3.23 MX$56.3

-19.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.53 OMR 0.21

$2.41 MX$41.88

-78.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.34 OMR 2.06

$3.23 MX$56.2

65.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.32 MX$23.00

-55.30%

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

$23.3K OMR 8,966

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-21.54%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,288

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-8.98%

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

$105 OMR 40.58

$82.0 MX$1,428

28.58%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$22.95 MX$400

76.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.4 OMR 26.71

$30.11 MX$524

130.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$10.24 OMR 3.94

$4.98 MX$86.6

105.62%

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)

$9,765 OMR 3,758

$5,336 MX$92.9K

82.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 OMR 19.41

$35.60 MX$620

41.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.07 OMR 15.42

$40.33 MX$702

-0.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.8 OMR 30.70

$78.8 MX$1,371

1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.1 OMR 34.29

$88.9 MX$1,549

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 OMR 79.9

$474 MX$8,254

-56.17%

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)

$3,590 OMR 1,382

$654 MX$11.4K

449.05%

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-Buraimi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 449% 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 Al-Buraimi vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $249 per month, with Al-Buraimi 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

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

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 449% higher in Al-Buraimi, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,009 per month in Al-Buraimi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Buraimi 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, Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.