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: $1,763 in Al Hidd versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,190 in Al Hidd versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,616 in Al Hidd versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 37% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 32% above, Playa del Carmen is 4% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 BHD 2.47

$11.94 MX$208

-44.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.43 BHD 14.83

$42.75 MX$744

-7.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 BHD 2.78

$10.59 MX$184

-30.03%

Cappuccino

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$3.62 MX$63.0

-25.97%

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

$0.81 BHD 0.31

$1.47 MX$25.54

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.14 BHD 0.05

$0.94 MX$16.41

-85.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 BHD 2.96

$3.09 MX$53.8

155.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.55 BHD 3.97

$4.46 MX$77.6

136.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 BHD 0.65

$1.43 MX$24.80

20.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 BHD 0.48

$1.88 MX$32.79

-31.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 BHD 0.87

$1.63 MX$28.34

41.72%

Eggs

$2.42 BHD 0.91

$2.64 MX$45.99

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.54 BHD 3.21

$8.21 MX$143

4.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 BHD 2.85

$8.29 MX$144

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.37 BHD 3.90

$11.10 MX$193

-6.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 BHD 0.92

$2.65 MX$46.14

-7.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 BHD 0.77

$1.50 MX$26.11

36.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.66

$1.99 MX$34.59

-11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 BHD 0.45

$2.08 MX$36.13

-41.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.79 MX$31.11

-49.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.40

$2.18 MX$37.87

-50.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 BHD 0.55

$1.08 MX$18.73

35.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$1.04 MX$18.04

-9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 BHD 2.43

$3.97 MX$69.1

62.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.73 BHD 7.04

$10.20 MX$178

83.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$1.73 MX$30.04

93.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 BHD 1.19

$2.50 MX$43.46

27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 BHD 0.59

$0.52 MX$9.02

203.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 BHD 19.89

$26.97 MX$469

96.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.62 BHD 1.74

$3.14 MX$54.7

47.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.01 BHD 1.51

$2.40 MX$41.80

67.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.01 BHD 9.78

$3.09 MX$53.7

741.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.38 BHD 0.14

$1.27 MX$22.16

-70.08%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,565

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-34.85%

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

$20.8K BHD 7,825

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-10.74%

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

$122 BHD 45.81

$82.0 MX$1,427

48.57%

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

$26.79 BHD 10.07

$22.45 MX$391

19.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.28 BHD 14.39

$29.66 MX$516

29.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.5 BHD 20.13

$18.67 MX$325

186.77%

Cinema Ticket

$10.79 BHD 4.06

$4.97 MX$86.5

117.10%

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

$386 BHD 145

$198 MX$3,442

95.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,104 BHD 3,423

$5,273 MX$91.7K

72.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.87 BHD 17.62

$36.34 MX$632

28.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.4 BHD 23.46

$40.05 MX$697

55.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.1 BHD 30.88

$79.9 MX$1,390

2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 BHD 33.07

$88.9 MX$1,547

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 BHD 253

$963 MX$16.8K

-30.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$933 BHD 351

$465 MX$8,086

100.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$795 BHD 299

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-50.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$810 BHD 304

$1,209 MX$21.0K

-33.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,937 BHD 728

$720 MX$12.5K

168.92%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $672 in Al Hidd and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 169% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $264 vs $251, 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 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 169% more on average, 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: $672 in Al Hidd versus $963 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 96% less than in Al Hidd. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $386 in Al Hidd versus $198 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,763 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 37% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.