Cost of Living Comparison Between Amwaj and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Amwaj and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $613 per month in Amwaj vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,394 per month in Amwaj vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,175 per month in Amwaj vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Amwaj is about 53% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Amwaj and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Amwaj 55% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.63 BHD 4.01

$11.71 MX$198

-9.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.28 BHD 11.79

$46.59 MX$788

-32.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 BHD 3.70

$11.65 MX$197

-15.71%

Cappuccino

$3.94 BHD 1.49

$4.09 MX$69.2

-3.67%

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

$2.16 BHD 0.82

$1.37 MX$23.23

57.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 BHD 0.26

$0.83 MX$14.09

-18.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 BHD 2.96

$3.35 MX$56.7

134.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.74 BHD 4.05

$6.91 MX$117

55.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.38 BHD 2.03

$4.63 MX$78.4

16.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 BHD 0.28

$1.55 MX$26.26

-52.26%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$37.8K BHD 14.2K

$25.9K MX$438.7K

45.63%

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

$132 BHD 49.82

$89.1 MX$1,507

48.26%

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

$23.82 BHD 8.98

$25.04 MX$423

-4.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 BHD 25.31

$31.50 MX$532

113.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K BHD 5,024

$4,222 MX$71.4K

215.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 BHD 24.50

$47.44 MX$802

36.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.9 BHD 24.85

$44.98 MX$760

46.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.6 BHD 35.27

$82.0 MX$1,386

14.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 BHD 44.94

$92.1 MX$1,557

29.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,393 BHD 902

$1,935 MX$32.7K

23.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,992 BHD 1,128

$1,301 MX$22.0K

129.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,932 BHD 1,482

$749 MX$12.7K

425.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

-38.86%

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

Last update for Amwaj: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 425% higher in Amwaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Amwaj versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the two cities.

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

Amwaj vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Amwaj, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $920 per month in Amwaj and $1,940 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $613 in Amwaj and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $31.00 in Amwaj and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Amwaj it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Amwaj costs $613 versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Amwaj. 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.