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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,693 in Dukhan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,266 in Dukhan versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,838 in Dukhan versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dukhan is roughly 35% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dukhan is 27% above, Playa del Carmen is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 QAR 25.52

$11.99 MX$210

-41.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.6 QAR 202

$41.78 MX$733

32.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.77 QAR 24.64

$10.75 MX$189

-37.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.62 QAR 42.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.11 QAR 40.45

Cappuccino

$5.13 QAR 18.67

$3.50 MX$61.3

46.57%

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

$0.81 QAR 2.94

$1.45 MX$25.41

-44.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 QAR 1.21

$0.88 MX$15.52

-62.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 QAR 7.77

$1.43 MX$25.12

48.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 QAR 5.72

$1.84 MX$32.23

-14.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 QAR 7.72

$1.57 MX$27.51

35.03%

Eggs

$2.58 QAR 9.38

$2.51 MX$44.06

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.49 QAR 41.82

$8.28 MX$145

38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 QAR 27.63

$8.43 MX$148

-9.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.46 QAR 38.09

$10.68 MX$187

-2.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 QAR 7.45

$2.61 MX$45.76

-21.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 QAR 5.66

$1.44 MX$25.22

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 QAR 5.55

$1.96 MX$34.41

-21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 QAR 5.28

$2.09 MX$36.74

-30.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 QAR 3.67

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 QAR 4.06

$2.17 MX$38.02

-48.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 QAR 4.78

$1.03 MX$18.09

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 QAR 1.63

$1.07 MX$18.84

-57.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$10.13 QAR 36.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 QAR 10.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 QAR 22.91

$4.10 MX$72.0

53.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.25 QAR 8.19

$3.23 MX$56.7

-30.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 QAR 8.09

$2.41 MX$42.19

-7.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.79 QAR 50.2

$3.23 MX$56.6

326.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.51 QAR 1.87

$1.32 MX$23.17

-61.36%

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

$22.4K QAR 81.7K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-24.41%

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

$20.5K QAR 74.7K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-13.30%

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

$91.2 QAR 332

$82.0 MX$1,439

11.23%

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

$38.04 QAR 138

$22.95 MX$403

65.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 QAR 311

$30.11 MX$528

183.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$12.50 QAR 45.50

$4.98 MX$87.3

151.00%

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

$800 QAR 2,910

$197 MX$3,463

304.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K QAR 42.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

117.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 QAR 223

$35.60 MX$624

72.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.3 QAR 201

$40.33 MX$707

37.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 QAR 368

$78.8 MX$1,381

28.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.2 QAR 328

$88.9 MX$1,560

1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,370 QAR 4,986

$947 MX$16.6K

44.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$922 QAR 3,358

$474 MX$8,314

94.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 QAR 6,192

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,169 QAR 4,257

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,153 QAR 15.1K

$654 MX$11.5K

535.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

11.42

-46.76%

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

Last update for Dukhan: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,370 in Dukhan and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dukhan pays 535% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $56.0 in Dukhan vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $249, with Dukhan cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Dukhan and Playa del Carmen differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,693 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 535% higher in Dukhan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,370 in Dukhan versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dukhan pay roughly 19% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,693 per month in Dukhan versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,693 in Dukhan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dukhan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Dukhan and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Dukhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.