Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Madinat Hamad and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,221 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,901 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,582 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madinat Hamad is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Madinat Hamad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madinat Hamad 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 BHD 0.98

$11.60 MX$200

-77.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.2 BHD 19.68

$47.11 MX$812

10.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.41 BHD 2.79

$11.88 MX$205

-37.63%

Cappuccino

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$3.98 MX$68.6

-32.66%

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

$0.90 BHD 0.34

$1.43 MX$24.60

-37.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 BHD 0.12

$0.82 MX$14.22

-60.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 BHD 2.43

$3.19 MX$55.0

102.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.72 BHD 3.66

$6.79 MX$117

43.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 BHD 0.56

$1.68 MX$28.89

-11.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$2.20 MX$37.88

-53.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.30 BHD 0.87

$1.71 MX$29.45

34.50%

Eggs

$2.01 BHD 0.76

$2.74 MX$47.26

-26.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.63 BHD 3.25

$9.58 MX$165

-9.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 BHD 2.39

$9.01 MX$155

-29.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.38 BHD 3.16

$12.81 MX$221

-34.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 BHD 0.82

$2.89 MX$49.81

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 BHD 0.59

$1.50 MX$25.81

4.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 BHD 0.74

$2.15 MX$37.03

-8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 BHD 0.49

$2.26 MX$38.96

-42.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BHD 0.40

$1.98 MX$34.15

-46.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 BHD 0.39

$1.99 MX$34.30

-47.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.54 BHD 0.58

$1.23 MX$21.28

25.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 BHD 0.20

$1.20 MX$20.63

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.24 BHD 1.97

$4.55 MX$78.5

15.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 BHD 6.94

$10.37 MX$179

77.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.59 BHD 1.35

$1.62 MX$27.91

121.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$2.88 MX$49.67

-6.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.64 BHD 0.24

$0.60 MX$10.35

6.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.31 BHD 12.93

$28.80 MX$497

19.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.19 BHD 1.96

$5.39 MX$92.9

-3.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 BHD 0.99

$3.73 MX$64.3

-29.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.13 BHD 6.08

$5.77 MX$99.5

179.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.39 BHD 0.15

$1.54 MX$26.48

-74.68%

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

$36.6K BHD 13.8K

$22.5K MX$388.8K

62.13%

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

$20.2K BHD 7,619

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-22.42%

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

$155 BHD 58.3

$91.4 MX$1,576

69.26%

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

$23.49 BHD 8.85

$25.20 MX$435

-6.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 BHD 6.86

$31.24 MX$539

-41.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 BHD 45.56

$67.2 MX$1,159

79.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.5 BHD 19.78

$29.11 MX$502

80.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 BHD 2.05

$4.86 MX$83.8

12.14%

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

$483 BHD 182

$224 MX$3,856

115.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K BHD 4,145

$4,229 MX$72.9K

160.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.1 BHD 19.27

$47.10 MX$812

8.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 BHD 21.55

$44.29 MX$764

29.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 BHD 32.79

$80.1 MX$1,381

8.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 BHD 33.64

$92.7 MX$1,598

-3.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 BHD 152

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-62.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BHD 121

$390 MX$6,728

-17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$803 BHD 303

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-62.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 BHD 252

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-47.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$676 BHD 255

$758 MX$13.1K

-10.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

11.45

-45.76%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $402 in Madinat Hamad versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52.0 in Madinat Hamad versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Madinat Hamad vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Madinat Hamad 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,221 in Madinat Hamad, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 4% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,831 per month in Madinat Hamad and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madinat Hamad, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 19% less in Madinat Hamad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $483 per month in Madinat Hamad and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Madinat Hamad, where all-in costs run around $1,221, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Madinat Hamad 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 $1,221 in Madinat Hamad to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Madinat Hamad. 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.