Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and 'ali Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and 'ali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen versus $813 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,126 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,306 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,980 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,799 in 'ali.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 56% more expensive than 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, 'ali 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.51 BHD 2.45

82.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$52.4 BHD 19.75

-18.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$5.40 BHD 2.03

97.22%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.25 BHD 1.98

-34.29%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.79 BHD 0.30

89.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.39 BHD 0.15

143.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$8.10 BHD 3.05

-62.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$10.73 BHD 4.04

-57.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.65 BHD 0.62

-16.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.33 BHD 0.50

39.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.34 BHD 0.88

-31.20%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.46 BHD 0.93

5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.82 BHD 3.33

-6.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$7.53 BHD 2.84

11.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$10.11 BHD 3.81

5.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.46 BHD 0.93

6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.06 BHD 0.78

-27.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.75 BHD 0.66

9.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.16 BHD 0.44

80.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.92 BHD 0.35

102.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.04 BHD 0.39

117.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.50 BHD 0.56

-29.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.87 BHD 0.33

25.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.78 BHD 2.55

-38.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$18.84 BHD 7.10

-44.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.33 BHD 1.25

-48.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$3.26 BHD 1.23

-19.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$4.73 BHD 1.78

-33.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.94 BHD 1.48

-36.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$26.08 BHD 9.83

-87.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.56 BHD 0.21

126.79%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$37.6K BHD 14.2K

-19.13%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.5K BHD 7,722

15.02%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$120 BHD 45.17

-30.74%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$26.50 BHD 9.99

-14.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$38.72 BHD 14.59

-23.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.75 BHD 4.05

-54.14%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$387 BHD 146

-48.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$8,861 BHD 3,340

-40.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$45.61 BHD 17.19

-19.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$61.6 BHD 23.21

-35.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$83.4 BHD 31.43

-4.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$89.8 BHD 33.83

-0.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$3,717 BHD 1,401

-82.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

8.56

33.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for 'ali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 457% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $52.0 in 'ali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $250 vs $263 per month, with Playa del Carmen 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

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

'ali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, 'ali earns 457% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 5% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $813 in 'ali – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $813 in 'ali versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in 'ali but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes 'ali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, 'ali 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, Playa del Carmen and 'ali 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 'ali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.