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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $760 per month in Lusail vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,301 per month in Lusail vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Lusail vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Lusail is about 40% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Lusail and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Lusail 44% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.18 QAR 29.77

$11.60 MX$200

-29.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.1 QAR 252

$47.11 MX$811

46.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.30 QAR 30.22

$11.88 MX$205

-30.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 QAR 30.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 QAR 35.86

Cappuccino

$5.39 QAR 19.60

$3.98 MX$68.5

35.43%

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

$0.81 QAR 2.94

$1.43 MX$24.57

-43.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 QAR 0.97

$0.82 MX$14.20

-67.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 QAR 7.83

$1.68 MX$28.85

27.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 QAR 5.31

$2.20 MX$37.83

-33.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 QAR 4.89

$1.71 MX$29.41

-21.64%

Eggs

$3.28 QAR 11.92

$2.74 MX$47.20

19.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.18 QAR 40.69

$9.58 MX$165

16.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 QAR 29.96

$9.01 MX$155

-8.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.53 QAR 41.95

$12.81 MX$221

-9.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 QAR 7.98

$2.89 MX$49.74

-24.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 QAR 6.49

$1.50 MX$25.78

18.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 QAR 5.45

$2.15 MX$36.98

-30.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.54 QAR 1.95

$2.26 MX$38.91

-76.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 QAR 2.09

$1.98 MX$34.10

-71.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.57 QAR 2.08

$1.99 MX$34.26

-71.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 QAR 5.26

$1.23 MX$21.25

17.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 QAR 1.99

$1.20 MX$20.60

-54.17%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.40 QAR 34.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 QAR 24.26

$4.55 MX$78.3

46.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.94 QAR 7.07

$5.39 MX$92.8

-64.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 QAR 7.62

$3.73 MX$64.2

-43.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.50 QAR 49.16

$5.77 MX$99.3

133.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 QAR 1.98

$1.54 MX$26.45

-64.94%

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

$27.1K QAR 98.8K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

20.32%

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

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-14.92%

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

$87.5 QAR 319

$91.4 MX$1,573

-4.22%

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

$35.88 QAR 131

$25.20 MX$434

42.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.8 QAR 312

$31.24 MX$538

174.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 QAR 44.73

$4.86 MX$83.7

152.88%

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

$680 QAR 2,474

$224 MX$3,851

203.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,957 QAR 36.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

135.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 QAR 224

$47.10 MX$811

30.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 QAR 189

$44.29 MX$763

17.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 QAR 389

$80.1 MX$1,379

33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 QAR 319

$92.7 MX$1,596

-5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,357 QAR 4,941

$758 MX$13.1K

79.05%

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 Lusail: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 79% higher in Lusail, 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 $69.0 in Lusail versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $209 in Lusail vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Lusail wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $760 in Lusail, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,140 per month in Lusail and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Lusail and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lusail, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Lusail it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $760 in Lusail to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lusail. 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.