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 $520 per month in Al-qardahah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $814 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,108 per month in Al-qardahah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-qardahah is about 59% 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 61% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.14 SYP 679

$11.87 MX$204

-48.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.94 SYP 3,088

$42.90 MX$736

-34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 SYP 599

$10.65 MX$183

-49.11%

Cappuccino

$1.55 SYP 171

$3.45 MX$59.2

-55.07%

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

$1.16 SYP 129

$1.50 MX$25.81

-22.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SYP 75.3

$0.95 MX$16.28

-28.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SYP 178

$3.03 MX$51.9

-46.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 SYP 273

$4.61 MX$79.1

-46.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 SYP 105

$1.38 MX$23.61

-31.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.64 SYP 70.7

$1.85 MX$31.70

-65.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 SYP 195

$1.61 MX$27.65

9.94%

Eggs

$1.89 SYP 208

$2.59 MX$44.51

-27.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.10 SYP 342

$8.26 MX$142

-62.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.74 SYP 855

$8.37 MX$144

-7.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 SYP 1,240

$10.66 MX$183

5.25%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 SYP 102

$2.63 MX$45.12

-65.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SYP 197

$1.49 MX$25.53

20.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.03 SYP 114

$1.92 MX$32.94

-46.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.90 SYP 100.0

$2.09 MX$35.81

-56.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.63 SYP 69.1

$1.86 MX$31.88

-66.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.67 SYP 74.2

$2.26 MX$38.81

-70.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.38 SYP 41.73

$1.06 MX$18.23

-64.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 SYP 67.5

$1.09 MX$18.67

-44.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 SYP 325

$4.15 MX$71.2

-29.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.09 SYP 673

$10.39 MX$178

-41.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 SYP 112

$1.72 MX$29.59

-41.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SYP 195

$2.61 MX$44.85

-32.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SYP 113

$3.13 MX$53.7

-67.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 SYP 141

$2.51 MX$43.09

-49.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 SYP 706

$3.15 MX$54.1

102.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$3.59 SYP 397

$1.27 MX$21.88

182.68%

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

$18.5K SYP 2.0M

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-39.04%

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

$20.9K SYP 2.3M

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-11.14%

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

$101 SYP 11.1K

$83.0 MX$1,425

21.57%

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

$8.52 SYP 941

$22.71 MX$390

-62.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 SYP 6,038

$29.46 MX$506

85.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$2.98 SYP 330

$4.93 MX$84.5

-39.55%

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

$43.91 SYP 4,852

$197 MX$3,386

-77.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,817 SYP 200.8K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-65.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.32 SYP 3,240

$36.90 MX$633

-20.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.12 SYP 2,887

$39.89 MX$685

-34.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$44.71 SYP 4,940

$80.0 MX$1,373

-44.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 SYP 6,241

$89.5 MX$1,536

-36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Al-qardahah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $169 vs $250 – 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 144%, 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 $780 per month in Al-qardahah and $1,906 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 $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 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 $520, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.