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: $1,197 in Al Muharraq versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,735 in Al Muharraq versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,273 in Al Muharraq versus $2,990 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 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.04 BHD 1.52

$11.72 MX$203

-65.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 BHD 9.94

$41.89 MX$725

-37.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 BHD 1.99

$10.51 MX$182

-49.76%

Cappuccino

$4.08 BHD 1.54

$3.59 MX$62.0

13.65%

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

$0.86 BHD 0.32

$1.51 MX$26.10

-43.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$0.92 MX$15.83

-57.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.34 BHD 2.01

$2.96 MX$51.2

80.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 BHD 2.99

$4.41 MX$76.3

79.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$1.40 MX$24.16

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$1.88 MX$32.60

-70.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.56 MX$26.97

47.44%

Eggs

$2.35 BHD 0.89

$2.61 MX$45.14

-9.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.62 BHD 1.74

$8.32 MX$144

-44.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 BHD 1.91

$8.35 MX$145

-39.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 BHD 2.99

$10.86 MX$188

-27.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$2.71 MX$46.93

-56.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BHD 0.63

$1.51 MX$26.04

11.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 BHD 0.41

$1.87 MX$32.41

-41.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 BHD 0.45

$2.19 MX$37.89

-45.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 BHD 0.29

$1.86 MX$32.14

-58.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.53 BHD 0.20

$2.23 MX$38.59

-76.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$1.07 MX$18.48

14.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$1.09 MX$18.79

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.43 BHD 2.05

$4.19 MX$72.4

29.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 BHD 7.08

$10.43 MX$180

80.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 BHD 1.26

$1.66 MX$28.68

101.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 BHD 1.24

$2.61 MX$45.19

26.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 BHD 0.31

$0.54 MX$9.37

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 BHD 1.70

$3.08 MX$53.3

46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 BHD 1.02

$2.40 MX$41.61

12.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.20 BHD 1.96

$3.13 MX$54.1

66.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.46 BHD 0.17

$1.31 MX$22.69

-64.89%

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

$37.3K BHD 14.1K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

25.29%

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

$15.8K BHD 5,947

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-32.34%

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

$107 BHD 40.41

$81.3 MX$1,406

31.93%

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

$21.12 BHD 7.96

$22.56 MX$390

-6.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.14 BHD 14.37

$30.05 MX$520

26.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$52.9 MX$915

1.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 BHD 2.68

$4.92 MX$85.1

44.72%

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

$386 BHD 145

$201 MX$3,474

92.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,901 BHD 2,224

$5,175 MX$89.5K

14.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.07 BHD 9.83

$35.92 MX$622

-27.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 BHD 24.13

$40.13 MX$694

59.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.3 BHD 31.78

$79.7 MX$1,379

5.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.4 BHD 33.33

$86.5 MX$1,496

2.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$627 BHD 236

$978 MX$16.9K

-35.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 BHD 190

$470 MX$8,140

6.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 BHD 360

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-42.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$780 BHD 294

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-35.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,986 BHD 749

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-49.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 BHD 604

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-75.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,542 BHD 581

$677 MX$11.7K

127.97%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $627 in Al Muharraq and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Muharraq pays 128% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Al Muharraq vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $252 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 ($1,197 vs $1,260 including rent). Al Muharraq is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 128% higher in Al Muharraq, 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: $627 in Al Muharraq versus $978 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 $1,197 per month in Al Muharraq versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Al Muharraq versus $1,260 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.