Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rustaq and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ar-rustaq and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $970 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,309 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,647 per month in Ar-rustaq vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Ar-rustaq is about 25% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ar-rustaq and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Ar-rustaq 28% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.28 OMR 2.03

$11.73 MX$203

-54.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.10 OMR 10.05

$41.62 MX$720

-37.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.00 OMR 3.08

$10.64 MX$184

-24.81%

Cappuccino

$5.01 OMR 1.93

$3.52 MX$60.9

42.33%

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

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.51 MX$26.12

-66.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.97 MX$16.84

-72.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.54 OMR 4.83

$2.95 MX$51.0

325.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.82 OMR 4.55

$4.45 MX$77.0

165.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 OMR 0.76

$1.38 MX$23.93

42.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$1.89 MX$32.72

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.64 MX$28.32

1.83%

Eggs

$1.88 OMR 0.72

$2.51 MX$43.34

-25.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.86 OMR 1.48

$8.34 MX$144

-53.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$8.34 MX$144

-49.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.87 OMR 3.03

$10.73 MX$186

-26.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 OMR 0.89

$2.60 MX$45.04

-11.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 OMR 0.64

$1.46 MX$25.20

13.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$1.90 MX$32.87

-3.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 OMR 0.43

$2.08 MX$35.91

-46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$1.78 MX$30.71

-42.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 OMR 0.40

$2.19 MX$37.80

-52.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.04 MX$17.99

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 OMR 0.20

$1.08 MX$18.62

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.47 OMR 2.49

$4.08 MX$70.6

58.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.89 OMR 6.12

$10.32 MX$178

53.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.71 MX$29.61

145.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.71 OMR 2.97

$2.58 MX$44.54

198.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$0.51 MX$8.81

158.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$3.26 MX$56.4

-51.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 OMR 0.29

$2.49 MX$43.09

-69.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.25 OMR 3.94

$3.25 MX$56.2

215.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$1.31 MX$22.61

-53.44%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,645

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-25.84%

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

$21.9K OMR 8,417

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-6.69%

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

$106 OMR 40.86

$82.9 MX$1,433

28.07%

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

$40.96 OMR 15.77

$22.22 MX$384

84.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 OMR 26.96

$29.34 MX$507

138.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.58 OMR 0.99

$18.32 MX$317

-85.92%

Cinema Ticket

$10.32 OMR 3.97

$5.07 MX$87.6

103.55%

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

$132 OMR 51.0

$201 MX$3,473

-34.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,748 OMR 1,443

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-28.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.63 OMR 7.94

$36.92 MX$639

-44.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$25.54 OMR 9.83

$39.79 MX$688

-35.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.59 OMR 15.24

$78.5 MX$1,357

-49.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.5 OMR 19.82

$87.1 MX$1,506

-40.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$159 OMR 61.2

$973 MX$16.8K

-83.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 OMR 81.1

$468 MX$8,090

-54.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 OMR 148

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 OMR 81.1

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-82.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,394 OMR 1,692

$664 MX$11.5K

561.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

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

Last update for Ar-rustaq: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $159 in Ar-rustaq versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 562% higher in Ar-rustaq, 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 $26.00 in Ar-rustaq versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $221 vs $249 – making Ar-rustaq 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 34%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,455 per month in Ar-rustaq and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ar-rustaq, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $970 in Ar-rustaq and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $132 per month in Ar-rustaq and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $970, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ar-rustaq. 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.