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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,221 in Al Muharraq versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,763 in Al Muharraq versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,304 in Al Muharraq versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Muharraq costs roughly 5% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Al Muharraq 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.92 BHD 1.48

$11.94 MX$209

-67.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.93 BHD 10.12

$42.75 MX$748

-37.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 BHD 1.97

$10.59 MX$185

-50.42%

Cappuccino

$4.01 BHD 1.51

$3.62 MX$63.4

10.77%

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

$0.81 BHD 0.30

$1.47 MX$25.69

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$0.94 MX$16.51

-58.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 BHD 2.05

$3.09 MX$54.1

76.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 BHD 2.95

$4.46 MX$78.0

76.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.43 MX$24.94

-9.79%

White Bread (500g)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

$1.88 MX$32.97

-71.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 BHD 0.88

$1.63 MX$28.50

43.56%

Eggs

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.64 MX$46.26

-11.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.53 BHD 1.70

$8.21 MX$144

-44.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.28 BHD 1.99

$8.29 MX$145

-36.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.89 BHD 2.97

$11.10 MX$194

-28.92%

Apples (1kg)

$1.16 BHD 0.44

$2.65 MX$46.40

-56.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BHD 0.61

$1.50 MX$26.26

8.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$1.99 MX$34.79

-47.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 BHD 0.44

$2.08 MX$36.33

-43.27%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$1.79 MX$31.29

-56.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$2.18 MX$38.09

-75.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$1.08 MX$18.84

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

$1.04 MX$18.15

-48.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.42 BHD 2.04

$3.97 MX$69.5

36.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.69 BHD 7.03

$10.20 MX$179

83.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.34 BHD 1.26

$1.73 MX$30.22

93.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 BHD 1.23

$2.50 MX$43.71

30.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.52 MX$9.07

57.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 BHD 1.70

$3.14 MX$55.0

44.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$2.40 MX$42.04

11.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 BHD 1.94

$3.09 MX$54.0

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.47 BHD 0.18

$1.27 MX$22.28

-62.99%

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

$37.3K BHD 14.0K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

20.86%

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

$15.7K BHD 5,910

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-32.59%

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

$108 BHD 40.52

$82.0 MX$1,435

31.39%

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

$21.38 BHD 8.04

$22.45 MX$393

-4.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.88 BHD 14.62

$29.66 MX$519

31.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 BHD 19.76

$51.9 MX$908

1.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

Cinema Ticket

$7.16 BHD 2.69

$4.97 MX$87.0

44.06%

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

$387 BHD 145

$198 MX$3,462

95.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,024 BHD 2,265

$5,273 MX$92.3K

14.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.47 BHD 9.95

$36.34 MX$636

-27.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 BHD 23.88

$40.05 MX$701

58.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 BHD 31.45

$79.9 MX$1,398

4.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 BHD 33.70

$88.9 MX$1,555

0.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$625 BHD 235

$963 MX$16.9K

-35.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 BHD 191

$465 MX$8,133

9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 BHD 359

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-40.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 BHD 296

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-34.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,958 BHD 736

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-50.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,559 BHD 586

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-75.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,549 BHD 582

$720 MX$12.6K

114.98%

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 Muharraq: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $625 in Al Muharraq and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Al Muharraq vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $251 per month, with Al Muharraq cheaper across the board.

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

Al Muharraq and Playa del Carmen differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,221 vs $1,287 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Al Muharraq pays 115% 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: $625 in Al Muharraq versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,221 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,221 in Al Muharraq versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Muharraq but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Muharraq the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Al Muharraq gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.