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: $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $816 in 'ali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,336 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,299 in 'ali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,341 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,782 in 'ali.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 63% more expensive than in 'ali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, 'ali 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$6.48 BHD 2.44

100.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$53.2 BHD 20.07

-13.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$7.31 BHD 2.75

72.23%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$4.83 BHD 1.82

-17.18%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.84 BHD 0.32

69.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.30 BHD 0.11

170.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$6.80 BHD 2.57

-55.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$10.06 BHD 3.79

-32.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.48 BHD 0.56

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.11 BHD 0.42

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.39 BHD 0.90

-28.03%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.24 BHD 0.85

20.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.62 BHD 3.25

8.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$6.44 BHD 2.43

37.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$8.61 BHD 3.25

48.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$2.31 BHD 0.87

35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$2.33 BHD 0.88

-33.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.86 BHD 0.70

15.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.40 BHD 0.53

67.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.05 BHD 0.40

92.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.35 BHD 0.51

47.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.49 BHD 0.56

-16.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.84 BHD 0.32

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$5.26 BHD 1.98

-11.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$18.65 BHD 7.03

-43.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.60 BHD 1.36

-56.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$2.60 BHD 0.98

12.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$5.22 BHD 1.97

1.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$3.49 BHD 1.32

6.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$15.68 BHD 5.91

-63.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.65 BHD 0.24

138.46%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$37.4K BHD 14.1K

-40.16%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$20.1K BHD 7,593

26.96%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$155 BHD 58.5

-42.48%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$24.34 BHD 9.18

-4.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$35.30 BHD 13.31

-10.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$10.51 BHD 3.96

-51.86%

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

$222 MX$3,765

$482 BHD 182

-53.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$11.0K BHD 4,156

-61.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$50.3 BHD 18.98

-8.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$57.8 BHD 21.78

-23.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$86.6 BHD 32.64

10.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$89.2 BHD 33.61

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$3,722 BHD 1,403

-79.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

6.21

86.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for 'ali: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

'ali pays 398% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $53.0 in 'ali. Groceries flip the comparison at $277 vs $251, with 'ali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 398% lower in 'ali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $816 in 'ali – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $816 in 'ali versus $1,330 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 63% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.