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 $640 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,016 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,393 per month in Al-qardahah vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 49% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al-qardahah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-qardahah 53% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.83 SYP 1,194

$11.60 MX$200

-15.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 SYP 5,460

$47.11 MX$811

-4.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.86 SYP 833

$11.88 MX$205

-42.26%

Cappuccino

$3.79 SYP 460

$3.98 MX$68.5

-4.77%

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

$2.29 SYP 278

$1.43 MX$24.57

60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 SYP 106

$0.82 MX$14.20

6.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.92 SYP 233

$3.19 MX$54.9

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 SYP 372

$6.79 MX$117

-54.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 SYP 133

$1.68 MX$28.85

-35.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 SYP 51.0

$2.20 MX$37.83

-80.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 SYP 200

$1.71 MX$29.41

-4.09%

Eggs

$1.57 SYP 191

$2.74 MX$47.20

-42.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.87 SYP 471

$9.58 MX$165

-59.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.69 SYP 691

$9.01 MX$155

-36.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.55 SYP 1,647

$12.81 MX$221

5.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 SYP 124

$2.89 MX$49.74

-64.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 SYP 172

$1.50 MX$25.78

-6.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SYP 132

$2.15 MX$36.98

-49.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 125

$2.26 MX$38.91

-54.42%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 SYP 91.6

$1.98 MX$34.10

-62.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 SYP 96.2

$1.99 MX$34.26

-60.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.40 SYP 48.87

$1.23 MX$21.25

-67.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 74.2

$1.20 MX$20.60

-49.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 SYP 343

$4.55 MX$78.3

-38.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.07 SYP 737

$10.37 MX$179

-41.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 SYP 134

$1.62 MX$27.88

-32.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 SYP 354

$2.88 MX$49.60

1.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 124

$5.39 MX$92.8

-81.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 SYP 187

$3.73 MX$64.2

-58.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.84 SYP 953

$5.77 MX$99.3

35.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.67 SYP 446

$1.54 MX$26.45

138.31%

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

$14.8K SYP 1.8M

$22.5K MX$388.3K

-34.37%

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

$19.0K SYP 2.3M

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-26.95%

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

$137 SYP 16.7K

$91.4 MX$1,573

50.18%

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

$9.45 SYP 1,148

$25.20 MX$434

-62.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.65 SYP 5,547

$31.24 MX$538

46.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$5.40 SYP 656

$4.86 MX$83.7

11.11%

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

$66.7 SYP 8,108

$224 MX$3,851

-70.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,806 SYP 219.5K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

-57.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.38 SYP 3,449

$47.10 MX$811

-39.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 SYP 4,873

$44.29 MX$763

-9.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.0 SYP 7,288

$80.1 MX$1,379

-25.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.9 SYP 7,032

$92.7 MX$1,596

-37.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.25

11.45

24.45%

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

Last update for Al-qardahah: September 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Al-qardahah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $168 vs $276 – 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 98%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $960 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,899 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 $45.00 in Al-qardahah and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 64% 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 $640, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.