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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $776 per month in Al Mahwit vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,204 per month in Al Mahwit vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,631 per month in Al Mahwit vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Mahwit is about 42% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Mahwit and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Mahwit 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.24 YER 1,478

$13.02 MX$221

-52.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.11 YER 5,946

$46.25 MX$784

-45.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 YER 2,207

$12.59 MX$213

-25.97%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 YER 485

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 YER 583

Cappuccino

$3.75 YER 888

$4.00 MX$67.9

-6.25%

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

$1.16 YER 274

$1.42 MX$24.08

-18.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 YER 147

$0.81 MX$13.73

-23.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 YER 468

$1.71 MX$29.04

15.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 YER 383

$2.22 MX$37.62

-27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 YER 475

$1.72 MX$29.13

16.28%

Eggs

$3.55 YER 842

$2.71 MX$45.99

31.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.01 YER 4,028

$9.37 MX$159

81.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 YER 1,911

$8.86 MX$150

-8.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 YER 4,353

$12.78 MX$217

43.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 YER 774

$3.13 MX$53.0

4.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 YER 245

$1.55 MX$26.24

-33.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 YER 525

$2.15 MX$36.51

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 YER 370

$2.35 MX$39.89

-33.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 YER 361

$2.02 MX$34.23

-24.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 YER 311

$1.99 MX$33.67

-34.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 YER 300

$1.24 MX$21.09

2.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 YER 151

$1.19 MX$20.21

-46.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.45 YER 818

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 YER 437

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 YER 783

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 YER 1,283

$4.65 MX$78.8

16.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.17 YER 987

$5.32 MX$90.2

-21.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 YER 509

$3.72 MX$63.0

-42.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.43 YER 1,759

$5.78 MX$97.9

28.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.04 YER 484

$1.55 MX$26.27

31.61%

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

$16.7K YER 4.0M

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-25.26%

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

$34.4K YER 8.1M

$25.6K MX$433.3K

34.55%

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

$106 YER 25.2K

$89.3 MX$1,513

19.20%

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

$23.87 YER 5,654

$23.30 MX$395

2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 YER 24.0K

$31.72 MX$538

220.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 YER 1,362

$5.06 MX$85.7

13.64%

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

$115 YER 27.2K

$222 MX$3,765

-48.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,168 YER 513.5K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

-49.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.80 YER 9,900

$46.21 MX$783

-9.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$124 YER 29.3K

$44.43 MX$753

178.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.73 YER 11.3K

$95.5 MX$1,618

-50.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$41.00 YER 9,708

$92.5 MX$1,568

-55.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

11.6

-3.02%

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

Last update for Al Mahwit: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Al Mahwit versus $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $264 vs $277 – making Al Mahwit the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,165 per month in Al Mahwit and $1,995 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $776 in Al Mahwit and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $115 per month in Al Mahwit and $222 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Mahwit, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Al Mahwit 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 Mahwit – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Al Mahwit. 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.