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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,813 in Al Hidd versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,260 in Al Hidd versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,707 in Al Hidd versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 44% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 36% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 BHD 2.54

$11.72 MX$203

-42.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 BHD 14.82

$41.89 MX$725

-6.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.45 BHD 2.81

$10.51 MX$182

-29.12%

Cappuccino

$2.72 BHD 1.03

$3.59 MX$62.0

-24.23%

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

$0.84 BHD 0.32

$1.51 MX$26.10

-44.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BHD 0.06

$0.92 MX$15.83

-83.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.92 BHD 2.99

$2.96 MX$51.2

167.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.71 BHD 4.04

$4.41 MX$76.3

142.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 BHD 0.62

$1.40 MX$24.16

16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BHD 0.48

$1.88 MX$32.60

-32.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.32 BHD 0.87

$1.56 MX$26.97

48.72%

Eggs

$2.48 BHD 0.93

$2.61 MX$45.14

-4.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.66 BHD 3.27

$8.32 MX$144

4.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.48 BHD 2.82

$8.35 MX$145

-10.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 BHD 3.86

$10.86 MX$188

-5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.44 BHD 0.92

$2.71 MX$46.93

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$1.51 MX$26.04

35.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 BHD 0.65

$1.87 MX$32.41

-7.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$2.19 MX$37.89

-46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.86 MX$32.14

-51.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$2.23 MX$38.59

-52.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 BHD 0.55

$1.07 MX$18.48

37.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$1.09 MX$18.79

-21.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$4.19 MX$72.4

55.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.44 BHD 6.95

$10.43 MX$180

76.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.66 MX$28.68

101.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BHD 1.18

$2.61 MX$45.19

20.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$0.54 MX$9.37

187.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.4 BHD 19.76

$26.16 MX$453

100.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.74 BHD 1.79

$3.08 MX$53.3

53.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.99 BHD 1.50

$2.40 MX$41.61

66.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.03 BHD 9.81

$3.13 MX$54.1

731.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BHD 0.15

$1.31 MX$22.69

-68.70%

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

$19.7K BHD 7,417

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-33.98%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,827

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-10.95%

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

$119 BHD 45.03

$81.3 MX$1,406

47.01%

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

$26.86 BHD 10.12

$22.56 MX$390

19.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.96 BHD 14.69

$30.05 MX$520

29.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.9 BHD 19.93

$18.39 MX$318

187.60%

Cinema Ticket

$10.51 BHD 3.96

$4.92 MX$85.1

113.62%

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

$387 BHD 146

$201 MX$3,474

92.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,902 BHD 3,355

$5,175 MX$89.5K

72.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.47 BHD 17.14

$35.92 MX$622

26.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.6 BHD 23.96

$40.13 MX$694

58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 BHD 30.99

$79.7 MX$1,379

3.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 BHD 33.18

$86.5 MX$1,496

1.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$650 BHD 245

$978 MX$16.9K

-33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 BHD 352

$470 MX$8,140

98.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-51.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 BHD 305

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-32.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,934 BHD 729

$677 MX$11.7K

185.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

11.42

-25.04%

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

Last update for Al Hidd: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $650 in Al Hidd and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 186% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Al Hidd vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $260 vs $252, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Playa del Carmen is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 186% higher in Al Hidd, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $650 in Al Hidd versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 100% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $387 in Al Hidd versus $201 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,813 in Al Hidd, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Al Hidd. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Playa del Carmen is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Al Hidd, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Al Hidd 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.