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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $815 per month in Al Mafraq vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,378 per month in Al Mafraq vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,941 per month in Al Mafraq vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Mafraq is about 36% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Mafraq and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Mafraq 40% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.07 JOD 5.00

$11.60 MX$199

-39.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.8 JOD 47.30

$47.11 MX$809

41.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.89 JOD 4.88

$11.88 MX$204

-42.00%

Cappuccino

$4.39 JOD 3.11

$3.98 MX$68.2

10.30%

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

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.43 MX$24.49

-54.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 JOD 0.42

$0.82 MX$14.16

-26.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.50 JOD 6.02

$3.19 MX$54.7

166.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.14 JOD 7.89

$6.79 MX$117

64.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 JOD 1.01

$1.68 MX$28.76

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$2.20 MX$37.71

-70.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 JOD 1.08

$1.71 MX$29.32

-10.53%

Eggs

$2.38 JOD 1.68

$2.74 MX$47.05

-13.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 JOD 6.76

$9.58 MX$164

-0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 JOD 4.67

$9.01 MX$155

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 JOD 9.05

$12.81 MX$220

-0.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 JOD 1.74

$2.89 MX$49.58

-14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 JOD 1.44

$1.50 MX$25.70

35.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 JOD 1.29

$2.15 MX$36.87

-14.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.85 JOD 0.60

$2.26 MX$38.79

-62.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 JOD 0.66

$1.98 MX$34.00

-53.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 JOD 0.64

$1.99 MX$34.15

-54.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 JOD 0.46

$1.23 MX$21.18

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 JOD 0.46

$1.20 MX$20.54

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.92 JOD 2.77

$4.55 MX$78.1

-13.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.25 JOD 15.04

$10.37 MX$178

104.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.01 JOD 3.54

$1.62 MX$27.79

209.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.22 JOD 3.70

$2.88 MX$49.44

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 JOD 0.43

$5.39 MX$92.5

-88.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 JOD 1.02

$3.73 MX$64.0

-61.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 JOD 5.00

$5.77 MX$99.0

22.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 JOD 1.17

$1.54 MX$26.37

7.14%

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

$34.7K JOD 24.6K

$22.5K MX$387.0K

54.07%

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

$34.4K JOD 24.3K

$26.1K MX$447.3K

31.93%

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

$127 JOD 89.9

$91.4 MX$1,569

38.94%

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

$15.95 JOD 11.29

$25.20 MX$433

-36.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.31 JOD 22.86

$31.24 MX$536

3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,154

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$500

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 JOD 7.95

$4.86 MX$83.5

131.07%

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

$489 JOD 346

$224 MX$3,839

118.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,400 JOD 6,652

$4,229 MX$72.6K

122.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 JOD 45.16

$47.10 MX$808

35.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$81.7 JOD 57.8

$44.29 MX$760

84.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 JOD 87.9

$80.1 MX$1,375

55.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 JOD 61.5

$92.7 MX$1,591

-6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,698

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

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)

$1,053 JOD 745

$758 MX$13.0K

38.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

11.45

-40.52%

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

Last update for Al Mafraq: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 39% higher in Al Mafraq, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Al Mafraq versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Al Mafraq vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Al Mafraq 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 Mafraq vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,223 per month in Al Mafraq and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $67.0 in Al Mafraq and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Mafraq, where all-in costs run around $815, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Al Mafraq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Mafraq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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