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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,358 per month in Mishref vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,324 per month in Mishref vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,290 per month in Mishref vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Mishref costs about 8% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Mishref sits 2% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.06 KWD 3.09

$11.99 MX$210

-16.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 KWD 24.88

$41.78 MX$733

93.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 KWD 2.82

$10.75 MX$189

-14.70%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$5.84 KWD 1.80

$3.50 MX$61.3

66.86%

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

$0.65 KWD 0.20

$1.45 MX$25.41

-55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.88 MX$15.52

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.43 MX$25.12

14.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.84 MX$32.23

-29.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.76 KWD 0.54

$1.57 MX$27.51

12.10%

Eggs

$2.10 KWD 0.65

$2.51 MX$44.06

-16.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.28 KWD 1.62

$8.28 MX$145

-36.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 KWD 1.96

$8.43 MX$148

-24.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 KWD 3.23

$10.68 MX$187

-1.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$2.61 MX$45.76

-6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.44 MX$25.22

38.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.96 MX$34.41

-11.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$2.09 MX$36.74

-31.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.85 MX$32.47

-33.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$2.17 MX$38.02

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 KWD 0.49

$1.03 MX$18.09

55.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$1.07 MX$18.84

-57.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$4.10 MX$72.0

-30.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.28

$0.51 MX$8.93

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.84 KWD 13.48

$26.04 MX$457

68.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$3.23 MX$56.7

-1.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

$2.41 MX$42.19

36.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.38 KWD 5.03

$3.23 MX$56.6

407.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.32 MX$23.17

-74.24%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,432

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-29.54%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,217

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-14.53%

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

$62.2 KWD 19.13

$82.0 MX$1,439

-24.13%

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

$18.22 KWD 5.60

$22.95 MX$403

-20.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.62 KWD 7.88

$30.11 MX$528

-14.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$92.5 KWD 28.43

$52.0 MX$912

77.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.46 KWD 13.97

$18.53 MX$325

145.33%

Cinema Ticket

$11.50 KWD 3.54

$4.98 MX$87.3

130.92%

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

$396 KWD 122

$197 MX$3,463

100.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,467 KWD 1,988

$5,336 MX$93.6K

21.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.50 KWD 13.07

$35.60 MX$624

19.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.21 KWD 13.28

$40.33 MX$707

7.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.0 KWD 27.36

$78.8 MX$1,381

13.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.4 KWD 25.34

$88.9 MX$1,560

-7.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$798 KWD 245

$947 MX$16.6K

-15.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 190

$474 MX$8,314

30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 KWD 480

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-5.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,309 KWD 402

$1,211 MX$21.2K

8.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

11.42

-37.48%

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

Last update for Mishref: July 11, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $798 in Mishref versus $947 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 $81.0 in Mishref versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Mishref vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Mishref 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

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

Yes – Mishref is pricier by about 8%, 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 $2,037 per month in Mishref and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 68% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $396 per month in Mishref 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Mishref at $1,358. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mishref it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mishref makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.