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: $1,816 in Al Hidd versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,250 in Al Hidd versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,684 in Al Hidd versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Hidd is roughly 43% more expensive than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Hidd is 35% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 BHD 2.47

$11.87 MX$204

-44.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.07 BHD 14.72

$42.90 MX$736

-8.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 BHD 2.72

$10.65 MX$183

-32.21%

Cappuccino

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$3.45 MX$59.2

-21.45%

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

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$1.50 MX$25.81

-48.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 BHD 0.05

$0.95 MX$16.28

-86.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 BHD 2.95

$3.03 MX$51.9

158.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.48 BHD 3.95

$4.61 MX$79.1

127.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 BHD 0.64

$1.38 MX$23.61

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$1.85 MX$31.70

-29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 BHD 0.90

$1.61 MX$27.65

47.83%

Eggs

$2.51 BHD 0.95

$2.59 MX$44.51

-3.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.74 BHD 3.29

$8.26 MX$142

5.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.93 BHD 2.99

$8.37 MX$144

-5.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.04 BHD 3.78

$10.66 MX$183

-5.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 BHD 0.93

$2.63 MX$45.12

-6.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 BHD 0.80

$1.49 MX$25.53

42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 BHD 0.64

$1.92 MX$32.94

-11.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.09 MX$35.81

-41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.86 MX$31.88

-53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$2.26 MX$38.81

-53.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 BHD 0.57

$1.06 MX$18.23

41.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 BHD 0.35

$1.09 MX$18.67

-15.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.70 BHD 2.53

$4.15 MX$71.2

61.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 BHD 6.97

$10.39 MX$178

78.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 BHD 1.30

$1.72 MX$29.59

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.29 BHD 1.24

$2.61 MX$44.85

26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$0.54 MX$9.30

187.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.9 BHD 20.31

$26.94 MX$462

100.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.69 BHD 1.77

$3.13 MX$53.7

49.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.08 BHD 1.54

$2.51 MX$43.09

62.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.19 BHD 9.87

$3.15 MX$54.1

731.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 BHD 0.15

$1.27 MX$21.88

-67.72%

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

$20.1K BHD 7,560

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-33.96%

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

$21.0K BHD 7,926

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-10.76%

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

$121 BHD 45.74

$83.0 MX$1,425

46.20%

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

$27.32 BHD 10.30

$22.71 MX$390

20.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.62 BHD 14.56

$29.46 MX$506

31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$54.1 BHD 20.39

$18.33 MX$315

195.09%

Cinema Ticket

$10.58 BHD 3.99

$4.93 MX$84.5

114.60%

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

$392 BHD 148

$197 MX$3,386

98.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,768 BHD 3,305

$5,280 MX$90.6K

66.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.78 BHD 17.63

$36.90 MX$633

26.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 BHD 23.55

$39.89 MX$685

56.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 BHD 31.41

$80.0 MX$1,373

4.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 BHD 32.70

$89.5 MX$1,536

-3.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 BHD 252

$956 MX$16.4K

-30.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$942 BHD 355

$477 MX$8,189

97.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$784 BHD 295

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-52.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$807 BHD 304

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-34.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,900 BHD 716

$667 MX$11.4K

184.88%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $669 in Al Hidd and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Hidd pays 185% 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 $266 vs $250, 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 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Al Hidd pays 185% 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: $669 in Al Hidd versus $956 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 $392 in Al Hidd versus $197 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,816 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 43% less than in Al Hidd. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.