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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Mangaf vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,084 per month in Mangaf vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,987 per month in Mangaf vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mangaf is about 8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Mangaf and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Mangaf 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.70 KWD 2.06

$11.94 MX$208

-43.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.41 KWD 12.14

$42.75 MX$744

-7.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 KWD 2.80

$10.59 MX$184

-14.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 KWD 1.16

Cappuccino

$5.53 KWD 1.70

$3.62 MX$63.0

52.76%

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

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.47 MX$25.54

-77.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.94 MX$16.41

-60.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.43 MX$24.80

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.88 MX$32.79

-34.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.63 MX$28.34

5.52%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.64 MX$45.99

-20.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.14 KWD 1.58

$8.21 MX$143

-37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KWD 2.02

$8.29 MX$144

-20.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 KWD 3.20

$11.10 MX$193

-6.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$2.65 MX$46.14

-7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 KWD 0.58

$1.50 MX$26.11

26.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 KWD 0.56

$1.99 MX$34.59

-8.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$2.08 MX$36.13

-30.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.79 MX$31.11

-31.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$2.18 MX$37.87

-40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.08 MX$18.73

55.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$1.04 MX$18.04

-56.73%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.98 KWD 0.92

$3.97 MX$69.1

-24.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 KWD 0.27

$0.52 MX$9.02

71.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.28 KWD 13.33

$26.97 MX$469

60.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.02

$3.14 MX$54.7

5.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$2.40 MX$41.80

-0.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.55 KWD 3.56

$3.09 MX$53.7

273.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.32 KWD 0.10

$1.27 MX$22.16

-74.80%

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

$21.4K KWD 6,606

$30.9K MX$537.3K

-30.55%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,060

$23.3K MX$405.7K

-15.61%

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

$62.0 KWD 19.09

$82.0 MX$1,427

-24.41%

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

$18.59 KWD 5.73

$22.45 MX$391

-17.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.33 KWD 8.11

$29.66 MX$516

-11.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.4 KWD 29.40

$51.9 MX$903

84.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.51 KWD 14.32

$18.67 MX$325

149.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 KWD 3.59

$4.97 MX$86.5

134.21%

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

$403 KWD 124

$198 MX$3,442

103.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,503 KWD 2,003

$5,273 MX$91.7K

23.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.41 KWD 13.06

$36.34 MX$632

16.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.73 KWD 13.16

$40.05 MX$697

6.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 KWD 26.98

$79.9 MX$1,390

9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.2 KWD 25.62

$88.9 MX$1,547

-6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$571 KWD 176

$963 MX$16.8K

-40.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 KWD 146

$465 MX$8,086

1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 478

$1,596 MX$27.8K

-2.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 KWD 392

$1,209 MX$21.0K

5.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Mangaf: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $571 in Mangaf versus $963 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Mangaf versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $179 vs $251 – making Mangaf 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,770 per month in Mangaf and $1,930 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 Mangaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Mangaf and $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,180 in Mangaf and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mangaf, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Mangaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mangaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mangaf. 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.