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 $1,178 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,884 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,591 per month in Madinat Hamad vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Madinat Hamad is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Madinat Hamad and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Madinat Hamad 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.68 BHD 1.01

$11.87 MX$204

-77.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.5 BHD 20.17

$42.90 MX$736

24.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 BHD 2.76

$10.65 MX$183

-31.27%

Cappuccino

$2.59 BHD 0.98

$3.45 MX$59.2

-24.93%

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

$0.80 BHD 0.30

$1.50 MX$25.81

-46.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 BHD 0.14

$0.95 MX$16.28

-61.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 BHD 3.02

$3.03 MX$51.9

164.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.79 BHD 4.07

$4.61 MX$79.1

134.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 BHD 0.58

$1.38 MX$23.61

12.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 BHD 0.39

$1.85 MX$31.70

-44.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$1.61 MX$27.65

44.72%

Eggs

$2.08 BHD 0.78

$2.59 MX$44.51

-19.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 BHD 3.32

$8.26 MX$142

6.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.80 BHD 2.94

$8.37 MX$144

-6.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$10.66 MX$183

-5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 BHD 0.79

$2.63 MX$45.12

-20.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BHD 0.61

$1.49 MX$25.53

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 BHD 0.66

$1.92 MX$32.94

-8.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 BHD 0.44

$2.09 MX$35.81

-44.02%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 BHD 0.33

$1.86 MX$31.88

-53.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 BHD 0.41

$2.26 MX$38.81

-52.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.45 BHD 0.54

$1.06 MX$18.23

36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 BHD 0.21

$1.09 MX$18.67

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.61 BHD 2.49

$4.15 MX$71.2

59.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.81 BHD 7.09

$10.39 MX$178

81.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.46 BHD 1.31

$1.72 MX$29.59

101.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 BHD 1.21

$2.61 MX$44.85

22.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.68 BHD 0.25

$0.54 MX$9.30

25.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.84 BHD 13.13

$26.94 MX$462

29.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.53 BHD 1.71

$3.13 MX$53.7

44.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 BHD 1.25

$2.51 MX$43.09

31.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.21 BHD 9.88

$3.15 MX$54.1

732.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.13

$1.27 MX$21.88

-71.65%

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

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

23.90%

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

$21.1K BHD 7,965

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-10.33%

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

$122 BHD 45.92

$83.0 MX$1,425

46.80%

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

$23.47 BHD 8.84

$22.71 MX$390

3.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 BHD 6.98

$29.46 MX$506

-37.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 BHD 44.51

$51.0 MX$875

131.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$52.6 BHD 19.84

$18.33 MX$315

187.12%

Cinema Ticket

$5.27 BHD 1.99

$4.93 MX$84.5

6.90%

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

$383 BHD 144

$197 MX$3,386

93.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,986 BHD 3,387

$5,280 MX$90.6K

70.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.38 BHD 17.11

$36.90 MX$633

22.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 BHD 23.21

$39.89 MX$685

54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 BHD 30.80

$80.0 MX$1,373

2.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 BHD 33.66

$89.5 MX$1,536

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$391 BHD 147

$956 MX$16.4K

-59.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$312 BHD 118

$477 MX$8,189

-34.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$797 BHD 301

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-51.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 BHD 251

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-45.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$661 BHD 249

$667 MX$11.4K

-0.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.56

11.42

-25.04%

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

Last update for Madinat Hamad: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $391 in Madinat Hamad versus $956 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 1% 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 $54.0 in Madinat Hamad versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $250 – making Playa del Carmen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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: $1,178 in Madinat Hamad, $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 8% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,767 per month in Madinat Hamad and $1,906 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 29% less in Madinat Hamad. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $383 per month in Madinat Hamad and $197 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 $1,178, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,178 in Madinat Hamad to $1,271 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.