Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Janub-as-surrah and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living costs are similar in Janub-as-surrah and in Playa del Carmen: $1,192 and $1,204 a month, rent and utilities included.

Janub-as-surrah, Kuwait
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Janub-as-surrah
🇰🇼 Kuwait
$1,192
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Janub-as-surrah and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Janub-as-surrah and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Janub-as-surrah versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Janub-as-surrah $1,192
  • Playa del Carmen $1,204

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,136 in Janub-as-surrah versus $2,082 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Janub-as-surrah $2,136
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,080 in Janub-as-surrah versus $2,959 in Playa del Carmen.

  • Janub-as-surrah $3,080
  • Playa del Carmen $2,959

Monthly costs are close between Janub-as-surrah and Playa del Carmen; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Janub-as-surrah 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 12% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.16 KWD 2.21
$10.92 MX$205
-34.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.63 KWD 14.06
$43.37 MX$814
5.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.05 KWD 2.48
$11.78 MX$221
-31.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.88 KWD 0.89
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 KWD 0.89
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.68 KWD 1.44
$3.81 MX$71.5
22.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 KWD 0.15
$1.28 MX$24.07
-60.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 KWD 0.09
$0.78 MX$14.70
-61.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.17 MX$59.5
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.93 MX$92.7
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 KWD 0.38
$1.41 MX$26.40
-12.77%
White Bread (500g)
$0.88 KWD 0.27
$2.22 MX$41.62
-60.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.15 KWD 0.66
$1.42 MX$26.61
51.41%
Eggs
$2.24 KWD 0.69
$2.52 MX$47.36
-11.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$4.56 KWD 1.41
$7.26 MX$136
-37.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.76 KWD 1.78
$7.70 MX$144
-25.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.47 KWD 3.23
$12.69 MX$238
-17.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.23 KWD 0.69
$2.78 MX$52.3
-19.78%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 KWD 0.50
$1.37 MX$25.68
18.98%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.19 KWD 0.37
$2.55 MX$47.89
-53.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.40 KWD 0.43
$2.12 MX$39.86
-33.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 KWD 0.45
$1.94 MX$36.39
-25.26%
Onion (1kg)
$1.04 KWD 0.32
$1.89 MX$35.41
-44.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.57 KWD 0.48
$1.15 MX$21.53
36.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.47 KWD 0.15
$1.18 MX$22.13
-60.17%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.78 KWD 0.86
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.94 KWD 0.29
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28 KWD 0.39
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.69 KWD 0.83
$4.30 MX$80.6
-37.44%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.95 MX$187
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.58 MX$29.73
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 MX$50.1
-
🚌 Getting Around
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.91 KWD 0.28
$0.55 MX$10.39
65.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.62 MX$500
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.90 KWD 0.89
$4.97 MX$93.3
-41.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.08 KWD 0.95
$3.33 MX$62.5
-7.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.76 KWD 5.48
$5.36 MX$101
231.34%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.35 KWD 0.11
$1.44 MX$27.11
-75.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.0K KWD 7,381
$20.7K MX$388.0K
15.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.5K KWD 6,314
$23.5K MX$440.5K
-12.69%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$59.0 KWD 18.20
$84.8 MX$1,592
-30.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$20.95 KWD 6.46
$23.41 MX$439
-10.51%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.53 KWD 8.18
$28.66 MX$538
-7.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$83.8 KWD 25.82
$57.1 MX$1,071
46.87%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$28.91 MX$543
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.02 KWD 3.09
$5.14 MX$96.5
94.94%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$240 KWD 73.9
$207 MX$3,878
16.05%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,958 KWD 2,453
$3,927 MX$73.7K
102.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$32.95 KWD 10.16
$43.35 MX$814
-23.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.25 KWD 13.64
$41.44 MX$778
6.78%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 KWD 33.52
$74.2 MX$1,393
46.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9 KWD 26.18
$89.3 MX$1,676
-4.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$806 KWD 248
$980 MX$18.4K
-17.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$533 KWD 164
$381 MX$7,150
40.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,847 KWD 569
$1,708 MX$32.1K
8.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,515 KWD 467
$1,075 MX$20.2K
40.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,943 MX$74.0K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,158 MX$115.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Janub-as-surrah
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$735 MX$13.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.53
11.45
-42.97%

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

Last update for Janub-as-surrah: October 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Janub-as-surrah
$533
Playa del Carmen
$381 28.6% $153
Groceries & Markets
Janub-as-surrah
$164
Playa del Carmen
$255 55.7% $91
Eating Out
Janub-as-surrah
$141
Playa del Carmen
$202 43.8% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Janub-as-surrah
$122
Playa del Carmen
$112 8.4% $10
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Janub-as-surrah
$107
Playa del Carmen
$137 28.5% $30
Sport & Entertainment
Janub-as-surrah
$104
Playa del Carmen
$67 35.2% $37
Getting Around
Janub-as-surrah
$22 *
Playa del Carmen
$50 130% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $806 in Janub-as-surrah and $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Janub-as-surrah vs $43 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $255, with Janub-as-surrah cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇰🇼 Janub-as-surrah
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
23:22 11:22 PM
15:22 3:22 PM
8 h behind Janub-as-surrah
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
18,496
149,923
💱 Currency
Kuwaiti Dinar KWD د.ك
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to KWD – Kuwaiti Dinar Converter

Kuwaiti Dinar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.308 KWD (1 KWD = 3.24 USD). 1 EUR = 0.344 KWD (1 KWD = 2.91 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Janub-as-surrah Playa del Carmen 12,670 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Janub-as-surrah
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Janub-as-surrah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Janub-as-surrah and in Playa del Carmen?
You’d need roughly $1,788 in Janub-as-surrah and $1,806 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Janub-as-surrah compared to Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $806 in Janub-as-surrah versus $980 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Janub-as-surrah or in Playa del Carmen?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Janub-as-surrah and in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $43 versus $46 in Janub-as-surrah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Janub-as-surrah or in Playa del Carmen?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Janub-as-surrah is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Janub-as-surrah or Playa del Carmen?
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.

Janub-as-surrah vs other spots: cost of living compared

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