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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $501 in Khartoum versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $677 in Khartoum versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $853 in Khartoum versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Khartoum costs roughly 62% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Khartoum 64% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.40 SDG 1,438
$11.96 MX$203
-79.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.88 SDG 8,309
$47.38 MX$804
-70.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$2.78 SDG 1,662
$11.75 MX$199
-76.34%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.43 SDG 1,455
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 SDG 1,250
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.82 SDG 1,686
$4.12 MX$70.0
-31.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 SDG 299
$1.40 MX$23.75
-64.29%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 SDG 231
$0.91 MX$15.48
-57.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.21 MX$54.4
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$7.07 MX$120
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.39 SDG 829
$1.68 MX$28.46
-17.26%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 SDG 856
$2.15 MX$36.50
-33.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.39 SDG 830
$1.77 MX$30.11
-21.47%
Eggs
$3.64 SDG 2,181
$2.82 MX$47.78
29.08%
Local Cheese (1kg)
-
$9.20 MX$156
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.47 SDG 2,677
$9.23 MX$157
-51.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$12.64 MX$214
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.26 SDG 2,549
$2.95 MX$50.1
44.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.03 SDG 616
$1.58 MX$26.80
-34.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.54 SDG 921
$2.22 MX$37.72
-30.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 SDG 964
$2.36 MX$40.11
-31.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.01 SDG 605
$1.99 MX$33.82
-49.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.81 SDG 485
$1.98 MX$33.60
-59.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.58 SDG 346
$1.24 MX$21.05
-53.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 SDG 316
$1.21 MX$20.56
-56.20%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.89 SDG 2,330
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.81 SDG 487
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 SDG 1,001
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.76 SDG 1,056
$4.60 MX$78.1
-61.74%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.52 MX$179
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.69 MX$28.71
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.77 MX$47.09
-
🚌 Getting Around
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.69 SDG 412
$0.60 MX$10.23
15.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$29.70 MX$504
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.63 SDG 2,174
$5.24 MX$88.9
-30.73%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$3.65 MX$61.9
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.05 SDG 3,021
$5.78 MX$98.2
-12.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.33 SDG 796
$1.54 MX$26.11
-13.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$4,911 SDG 2.9M
$22.8K MX$387.0K
-78.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$10.2K SDG 6.1M
$25.8K MX$438.1K
-60.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$71.9 SDG 43.0K
$90.7 MX$1,539
-20.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.41 SDG 5,631
$25.19 MX$428
-62.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.28 SDG 17.5K
$31.75 MX$539
-7.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$8.07 SDG 4,828
$68.8 MX$1,168
-88.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$29.37 MX$498
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.03 SDG 2,410
$4.86 MX$82.5
-17.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$110 SDG 66.0K
$226 MX$3,830
-51.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,717 SDG 1.6M
$4,194 MX$71.2K
-35.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$47.38 MX$804
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$8.57 SDG 5,131
$43.45 MX$737
-80.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$80.2 MX$1,362
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$91.4 MX$1,551
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$602 SDG 360.6K
$1,086 MX$18.4K
-44.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$170 SDG 101.8K
$409 MX$6,936
-58.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,291 SDG 772.4K
$1,972 MX$33.5K
-34.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$161 SDG 96.6K
$1,281 MX$21.7K
-87.41%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,060 SDG 634.4K
$4,046 MX$68.7K
-73.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$985 SDG 589.5K
$6,704 MX$113.8K
-85.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Khartoum
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$235 SDG 140.7K
$773 MX$13.1K
-69.61%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
30
11.45
162.01%

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

Last update for Khartoum: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $602 in Khartoum and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 229% 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: $14.00 in Khartoum vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $126 vs $278 per month, with Khartoum cheaper across the board.

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
Khartoum vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Khartoum?
Khartoum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Khartoum or Playa del Carmen?
On paper, salaries run 229% lower in Playa del Carmen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Khartoum and Playa del Carmen?
Rent for a central apartment: $602 in Khartoum versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $110 in Khartoum versus $226 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Khartoum or in Playa del Carmen?
Dining out is cheaper in Khartoum – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Khartoum or in Playa del Carmen?
At $501 in Khartoum versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khartoum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khartoum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Khartoum or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
For families, Khartoum is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Khartoum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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