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 $514 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $800 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,085 per month in Al-qardahah vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 60% 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 62% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.87 SYP 660

$11.94 MX$208

-50.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.06 SYP 3,043

$42.75 MX$744

-36.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.38 SYP 605

$10.59 MX$184

-49.20%

Cappuccino

$1.56 SYP 175

$3.62 MX$63.0

-56.91%

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

$1.17 SYP 132

$1.47 MX$25.54

-20.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 SYP 81.8

$0.94 MX$16.41

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.57 SYP 176

$3.09 MX$53.8

-49.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 SYP 287

$4.46 MX$77.6

-42.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 SYP 108

$1.43 MX$24.80

-32.87%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 SYP 65.9

$1.88 MX$32.79

-68.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 SYP 190

$1.63 MX$28.34

3.68%

Eggs

$1.94 SYP 218

$2.64 MX$45.99

-26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 348

$8.21 MX$143

-62.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 SYP 882

$8.29 MX$144

-5.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.25 SYP 1,266

$11.10 MX$193

1.35%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 103

$2.65 MX$46.14

-65.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 SYP 202

$1.50 MX$26.11

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 116

$1.99 MX$34.59

-48.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 SYP 99.2

$2.08 MX$36.13

-57.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 SYP 73.7

$1.79 MX$31.11

-63.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 SYP 70.1

$2.18 MX$37.87

-71.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 42.33

$1.08 MX$18.73

-64.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SYP 70.5

$1.04 MX$18.04

-39.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 SYP 341

$3.97 MX$69.1

-23.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.05 SYP 905

$10.20 MX$178

-21.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 114

$1.73 MX$30.04

-41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SYP 205

$2.50 MX$43.46

-27.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 SYP 110

$3.14 MX$54.7

-68.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 SYP 137

$2.40 MX$41.80

-49.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 SYP 732

$3.09 MX$53.7

110.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.68 SYP 414

$1.27 MX$22.16

189.76%

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

$18.7K SYP 2.1M

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-39.45%

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

$20.7K SYP 2.3M

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-11.33%

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

$100 SYP 11.3K

$82.0 MX$1,427

22.33%

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

$8.32 SYP 936

$22.45 MX$391

-62.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 SYP 6,264

$29.66 MX$516

87.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$2.95 SYP 332

$4.97 MX$86.5

-40.64%

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

$43.49 SYP 4,893

$198 MX$3,442

-78.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,834 SYP 206.3K

$5,273 MX$91.7K

-65.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.38 SYP 3,305

$36.34 MX$632

-19.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.82 SYP 2,904

$40.05 MX$697

-35.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.10 SYP 4,961

$79.9 MX$1,390

-44.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.9 SYP 6,284

$88.9 MX$1,547

-37.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Al-qardahah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $173 vs $251 – 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 150%, 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 $771 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,930 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 $27.00 in Al-qardahah and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% 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 $514, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. 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.