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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,928 in Muscat versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,533 in Muscat versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Muscat is roughly 5% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Muscat 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 OMR 2.04

$11.99 MX$210

-55.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.50 OMR 9.82

$41.78 MX$733

-38.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.99 OMR 3.08

$10.75 MX$189

-25.67%

Cappuccino

$4.86 OMR 1.87

$3.50 MX$61.3

38.86%

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

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.45 MX$25.41

-30.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 OMR 0.13

$0.88 MX$15.52

-61.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.41 OMR 4.78

$2.95 MX$51.7

320.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.66 OMR 4.49

$4.51 MX$79.1

158.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 OMR 0.76

$1.43 MX$25.12

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$1.84 MX$32.23

-33.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 OMR 0.66

$1.57 MX$27.51

8.28%

Eggs

$2.42 OMR 0.93

$2.51 MX$44.06

-3.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.71 OMR 1.43

$8.28 MX$145

-55.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.89 OMR 1.88

$8.43 MX$148

-41.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 OMR 3.18

$10.68 MX$187

-22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.51 OMR 0.97

$2.61 MX$45.76

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 OMR 0.66

$1.44 MX$25.22

19.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 OMR 0.69

$1.96 MX$34.41

-9.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$2.09 MX$36.74

-45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.85 MX$32.47

-44.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 OMR 0.38

$2.17 MX$38.02

-54.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.03 MX$18.09

5.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$1.07 MX$18.84

-51.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.28 OMR 2.42

$4.10 MX$72.0

53.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.71 OMR 6.05

$10.17 MX$178

54.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 OMR 1.68

$1.68 MX$29.38

160.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$2.53 MX$44.31

217.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$0.51 MX$8.93

149.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 OMR 24.26

$26.04 MX$457

142.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.16 OMR 1.22

$3.23 MX$56.7

-2.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 OMR 0.31

$2.41 MX$42.19

-66.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.20 OMR 3.92

$3.23 MX$56.6

215.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.32 MX$23.17

-51.52%

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

$22.5K OMR 8,654

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-24.28%

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

$21.5K OMR 8,279

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-9.10%

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

$109 OMR 41.78

$82.0 MX$1,439

32.37%

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

$40.41 OMR 15.55

$22.95 MX$403

76.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 OMR 26.38

$30.11 MX$528

127.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.75 OMR 18.76

$52.0 MX$912

-6.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.23 OMR 8.94

$18.53 MX$325

25.36%

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 OMR 3.96

$4.98 MX$87.3

106.43%

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

$190 OMR 73.0

$197 MX$3,463

-3.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,861

$5,336 MX$93.6K

87.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.0 OMR 19.62

$35.60 MX$624

43.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.14 OMR 15.07

$40.33 MX$707

-2.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 OMR 29.87

$78.8 MX$1,381

-1.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.6 OMR 33.72

$88.9 MX$1,560

-1.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 OMR 237

$947 MX$16.6K

-34.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$407 OMR 157

$474 MX$8,314

-14.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,243 OMR 478

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-24.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$714 OMR 275

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-41.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,866 OMR 1,103

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-29.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,593 OMR 613

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-75.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,576 OMR 607

$654 MX$11.5K

141.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

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

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Muscat and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 141% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $26.00 in Muscat vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $249 per month, with Muscat cheaper across the board.

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

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

Muscat and Playa del Carmen differ by about 5% in total monthly costs ($1,322 vs $1,256 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 141% higher in Muscat, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Muscat versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Playa del Carmen – a meal for two runs $42.00 versus $26.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,322 per month in Muscat versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,322 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Muscat and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.