Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Fujayrah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,277 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,772 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,267 per month in Al Fujayrah vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Fujayrah costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Al Fujayrah sits 140% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 AED 29.31

$11.60 MX$199

-31.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.2 AED 217

$47.11 MX$809

25.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.40 AED 34.53

$11.88 MX$204

-20.88%

Cappuccino

$5.86 AED 21.51

$3.98 MX$68.2

47.24%

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

$1.45 AED 5.33

$1.43 MX$24.49

1.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 AED 2.06

$0.82 MX$14.16

-31.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.44 AED 49.37

$3.19 MX$54.7

321.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.83 AED 50.8

$6.79 MX$117

103.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 AED 6.39

$1.68 MX$28.76

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 AED 4.23

$2.20 MX$37.71

-47.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 AED 8.94

$1.71 MX$29.32

42.11%

Eggs

$3.38 AED 12.42

$2.74 MX$47.05

23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.44 AED 19.97

$9.58 MX$164

-43.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.43 AED 19.94

$9.01 MX$155

-39.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 AED 28.85

$12.81 MX$220

-38.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 AED 6.64

$2.89 MX$49.58

-37.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 AED 4.96

$1.50 MX$25.70

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 AED 4.73

$2.15 MX$36.87

-40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 AED 5.19

$2.26 MX$38.79

-37.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 AED 3.71

$1.98 MX$34.00

-48.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 AED 3.66

$1.99 MX$34.15

-49.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 AED 4.10

$1.23 MX$21.18

-8.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 AED 2.41

$1.20 MX$20.54

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.03 AED 22.13

$4.55 MX$78.1

32.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 AED 59.6

$10.37 MX$178

56.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 AED 9.83

$1.62 MX$27.79

65.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 AED 11.80

$2.88 MX$49.44

11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.89 AED 10.62

$0.60 MX$10.30

381.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.06 AED 59.0

$28.80 MX$494

-44.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 AED 9.93

$5.39 MX$92.5

-49.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 AED 0.94

$3.73 MX$64.0

-93.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 AED 9.83

$5.77 MX$99.0

-53.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 AED 2.96

$1.54 MX$26.37

-47.40%

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

$26.7K AED 98.0K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

18.35%

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

$22.6K AED 83.2K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

-13.09%

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

$234 AED 858

$91.4 MX$1,569

155.54%

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

$44.04 AED 162

$25.20 MX$433

74.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$93.0 AED 342

$31.24 MX$536

197.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.0 AED 349

$67.2 MX$1,154

41.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.15 AED 111

$29.11 MX$500

3.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.93 AED 36.46

$4.86 MX$83.5

104.32%

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

$274 AED 1,007

$224 MX$3,839

22.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,566 AED 16.8K

$4,229 MX$72.6K

7.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.99 AED 110

$47.10 MX$808

-36.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.5 AED 196

$44.29 MX$760

20.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 AED 379

$80.1 MX$1,375

28.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 AED 297

$92.7 MX$1,591

-12.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,396 AED 8,799

$1,063 MX$18.2K

125.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 AED 7,521

$390 MX$6,698

424.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,032 AED 18.5K

$2,149 MX$36.9K

134.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,004 AED 14.7K

$1,272 MX$21.8K

214.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,683 AED 13.5K

$758 MX$13.0K

385.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-82.53%

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

Last update for Al Fujayrah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,396 in Al Fujayrah versus $1,063 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.

Salaries run about 386% higher in Al Fujayrah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Al Fujayrah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $218 in Al Fujayrah vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Al Fujayrah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Al Fujayrah costs about 159% more than Playa del Carmen, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,915 per month in Al Fujayrah and $1,899 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $274 per month in Al Fujayrah and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 26% cheaper in Al Fujayrah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Al Fujayrah at $3,277. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Fujayrah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,266 versus $3,277 in Al Fujayrah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Fujayrah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.