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 $1,399 per month in Mishref vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,367 per month in Mishref vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,334 per month in Mishref vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Mishref sits 4% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.87 KWD 3.03

$11.73 MX$203

-15.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.2 KWD 25.20

$41.62 MX$720

97.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 KWD 2.79

$10.64 MX$184

-14.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.12

Cappuccino

$5.96 KWD 1.83

$3.52 MX$60.9

69.32%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$1.51 MX$26.12

-57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.97 MX$16.84

-64.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.38 MX$23.93

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.89 MX$32.72

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$1.64 MX$28.32

3.66%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.51 MX$43.34

-18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.34 KWD 1.64

$8.34 MX$144

-35.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$8.34 MX$144

-24.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.16 KWD 3.12

$10.73 MX$186

-5.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KWD 0.72

$2.60 MX$45.04

-10.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 KWD 0.60

$1.46 MX$25.20

34.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.90 MX$32.87

-8.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$2.08 MX$35.91

-28.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

$1.78 MX$30.71

-28.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$1.04 MX$17.99

57.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

-54.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.97 KWD 0.91

$4.08 MX$70.6

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$0.51 MX$8.81

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.95 KWD 13.48

$26.46 MX$458

66.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$3.26 MX$56.4

1.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

$2.49 MX$43.09

33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 KWD 5.10

$3.25 MX$56.2

411.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.31 MX$22.61

-74.81%

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

$20.9K KWD 6,405

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-31.03%

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

$19.7K KWD 6,050

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-15.80%

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

$61.6 KWD 18.90

$82.9 MX$1,433

-25.64%

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

$18.30 KWD 5.61

$22.22 MX$384

-17.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.42 KWD 7.80

$29.34 MX$507

-13.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.9 KWD 29.09

$51.6 MX$893

83.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.91 KWD 14.08

$18.32 MX$317

150.60%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 KWD 3.53

$5.07 MX$87.6

127.02%

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

$397 KWD 122

$201 MX$3,473

97.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,616 KWD 2,029

$5,212 MX$90.1K

26.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.67 KWD 12.78

$36.92 MX$639

12.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.82 KWD 12.83

$39.79 MX$688

5.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 KWD 27.37

$78.5 MX$1,357

13.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 KWD 24.82

$87.1 MX$1,506

-7.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 243

$973 MX$16.8K

-18.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$604 KWD 185

$468 MX$8,090

29.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,552 KWD 476

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-5.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 KWD 403

$1,221 MX$21.1K

7.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Mishref versus $973 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 $82.0 in Mishref versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $178 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 $2,099 per month in Mishref and $1,945 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 66% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $397 per month in Mishref and $201 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 $1,297, than in Mishref at $1,399. 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.