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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $582 in Nizwa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $787 in Nizwa versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $993 in Nizwa versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Nizwa costs roughly 55% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nizwa 57% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.54 OMR 0.98

$11.73 MX$203

-78.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.21 OMR 10.09

$41.62 MX$719

-37.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$10.64 MX$184

-63.91%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

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

$0.87 OMR 0.33

$1.51 MX$26.09

-42.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.97 MX$16.82

-72.16%

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)

$1.31 OMR 0.51

$1.38 MX$23.90

-5.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.89 MX$32.69

-32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.64 MX$28.29

7.93%

Eggs

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.51 MX$43.30

-15.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.83 OMR 1.47

$8.34 MX$144

-54.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.02 OMR 3.09

$8.34 MX$144

-3.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

Apples (1kg)

$2.06 OMR 0.79

$2.60 MX$45.00

-20.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$1.46 MX$25.18

-12.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.31 OMR 0.50

$1.90 MX$32.84

-31.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 OMR 0.51

$2.08 MX$35.88

-36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 OMR 0.41

$1.78 MX$30.68

-41.01%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$2.19 MX$37.76

-51.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 OMR 0.19

$1.04 MX$17.97

-51.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$1.08 MX$18.60

-24.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.31 MX$22.59

-54.96%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

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

$130 OMR 49.97

$82.9 MX$1,432

56.61%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 OMR 24.68

$29.34 MX$507

118.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

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

$201 MX$3,470

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$265 OMR 102

$973 MX$16.8K

-72.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 OMR 78.6

$468 MX$8,082

-56.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 OMR 150

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-76.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 OMR 102

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-78.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,309 OMR 504

$664 MX$11.5K

97.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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

Last update for Nizwa: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $265 in Nizwa and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizwa pays 97% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $26.00 in Nizwa vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $140 vs $249 per month, with Nizwa 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

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

Nizwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Nizwa pays 97% more on average, 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: $265 in Nizwa versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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

At $582 in Nizwa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nizwa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.