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: $1,706 in Dukhan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,397 in Dukhan versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,089 in Dukhan versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dukhan is roughly 31% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dukhan is 24% above, Playa del Carmen is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.21 QAR 40.81

$11.96 MX$203

-6.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.9 QAR 262

$47.38 MX$804

51.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 QAR 30.31

$11.75 MX$199

-29.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.44 QAR 45.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.61 QAR 49.55

Cappuccino

$5.92 QAR 21.56

$4.12 MX$70.0

43.69%

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

$0.98 QAR 3.57

$1.40 MX$23.74

-30.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 QAR 1.52

$0.91 MX$15.48

-53.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 QAR 7.87

$1.68 MX$28.44

28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 QAR 5.31

$2.15 MX$36.48

-32.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.01 QAR 7.33

$1.77 MX$30.10

13.56%

Eggs

$3.62 QAR 13.18

$2.82 MX$47.76

28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.44 QAR 41.64

$9.20 MX$156

24.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.45 QAR 30.77

$9.23 MX$157

-8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 QAR 40.58

$12.64 MX$214

-11.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 QAR 7.85

$2.95 MX$50.1

-26.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 QAR 6.46

$1.58 MX$26.79

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 QAR 5.52

$2.22 MX$37.70

-31.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 QAR 4.43

$2.36 MX$40.09

-48.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 QAR 3.48

$1.99 MX$33.81

-51.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 QAR 3.53

$1.98 MX$33.58

-51.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.39 QAR 5.06

$1.24 MX$21.04

12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 QAR 1.85

$1.21 MX$20.55

-57.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.54 QAR 34.74

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 QAR 8.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.39 QAR 23.27

$4.60 MX$78.1

38.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 QAR 6.93

$5.24 MX$88.8

-63.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.02 QAR 7.36

$3.65 MX$61.9

-44.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.66 QAR 49.73

$5.78 MX$98.1

136.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.52 QAR 1.89

$1.54 MX$26.09

-66.23%

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

$27.3K QAR 99.4K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

19.71%

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

$22.1K QAR 80.4K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-14.41%

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

$88.1 QAR 321

$90.7 MX$1,538

-2.83%

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

$35.06 QAR 128

$25.19 MX$427

39.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.6 QAR 315

$31.75 MX$539

172.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 QAR 44.55

$4.86 MX$82.5

151.85%

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

$693 QAR 2,523

$226 MX$3,828

207.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K QAR 36.9K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

141.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 QAR 221

$47.38 MX$804

28.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.5 QAR 191

$43.45 MX$737

20.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 QAR 377

$80.2 MX$1,361

29.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 QAR 326

$91.4 MX$1,550

-1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 QAR 5,163

$1,086 MX$18.4K

30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$934 QAR 3,399

$409 MX$6,933

128.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,714 QAR 6,240

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-13.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,154 QAR 4,200

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-9.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 QAR 14.8K

$773 MX$13.1K

424.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

11.45

-48.65%

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

Last update for Dukhan: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,418 in Dukhan and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dukhan pays 425% 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: $72.0 in Dukhan vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $278, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,706 vs $1,305 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 425% 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: $1,418 in Dukhan versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dukhan pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,706 per month in Dukhan versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,706 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 31% less than in Dukhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.