Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-qardahah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $531 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $817 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,104 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 58% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-qardahah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 60% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.05 SYP 736

$11.72 MX$203

-48.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 SYP 3,404

$41.89 MX$726

-33.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 SYP 686

$10.51 MX$182

-46.34%

Cappuccino

$1.53 SYP 187

$3.59 MX$62.1

-57.38%

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

$1.14 SYP 138

$1.51 MX$26.13

-24.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 SYP 81.6

$0.92 MX$15.86

-27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.96 MX$51.2

-46.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SYP 310

$4.41 MX$76.4

-42.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 116

$1.40 MX$24.19

-32.14%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 72.0

$1.88 MX$32.65

-68.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 SYP 205

$1.56 MX$27.01

7.69%

Eggs

$1.91 SYP 233

$2.61 MX$45.20

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.02 SYP 367

$8.32 MX$144

-63.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.52 SYP 914

$8.35 MX$145

-9.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 SYP 1,354

$10.86 MX$188

2.58%

Apples (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 106

$2.71 MX$47.00

-67.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 SYP 213

$1.51 MX$26.08

16.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.87 MX$32.46

-47.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 SYP 117

$2.19 MX$37.94

-56.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 80.4

$1.86 MX$32.18

-64.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 79.7

$2.23 MX$38.64

-70.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.37 SYP 45.24

$1.07 MX$18.51

-65.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.09 MX$18.82

-44.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 SYP 369

$4.19 MX$72.5

-27.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.98 SYP 969

$10.43 MX$181

-23.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 SYP 119

$1.66 MX$28.72

-40.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SYP 214

$2.61 MX$45.26

-32.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.39

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SYP 123

$3.08 MX$53.3

-67.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 SYP 155

$2.40 MX$41.66

-46.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 SYP 791

$3.13 MX$54.2

107.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.61 SYP 438

$1.31 MX$22.72

175.57%

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

$18.6K SYP 2.3M

$29.8K MX$516.4K

-37.74%

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

$21.3K SYP 2.6M

$23.3K MX$404.1K

-8.65%

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

$102 SYP 12.4K

$81.3 MX$1,408

25.31%

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

$8.17 SYP 993

$22.56 MX$391

-63.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.8 SYP 6,781

$30.05 MX$521

85.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$917

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$319

Cinema Ticket

$3.06 SYP 372

$4.92 MX$85.2

-37.80%

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

$43.58 SYP 5,296

$201 MX$3,479

-78.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,795 SYP 218.1K

$5,175 MX$89.7K

-65.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.53 SYP 3,589

$35.92 MX$622

-17.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.53 SYP 3,103

$40.13 MX$695

-36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$45.17 SYP 5,489

$79.7 MX$1,381

-43.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.0 SYP 6,803

$86.5 MX$1,498

-35.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,152

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.75

11.42

20.40%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $170 vs $252 – making Al-qardahah 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-qardahah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 137%, 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 $796 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,890 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 $28.00 in Al-qardahah and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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-qardahah, where all-in costs run around $531, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Al-qardahah 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-qardahah – 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-qardahah. 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.