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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $841 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,335 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,829 in 'ibri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 49% more expensive than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, 'ibri 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$2.54 OMR 0.98

372.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.56 OMR 9.84

63.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.67 OMR 2.57

61.17%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.20 OMR 1.23

9.37%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.64 OMR 0.24

126.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.27 OMR 0.10

225.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-43.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$11.62 OMR 4.47

-61.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.20 OMR 0.46

19.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.81 OMR 0.31

127.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-9.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.39 OMR 0.92

5.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.69 OMR 1.42

124.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$3.71 OMR 1.43

127.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.66 OMR 3.33

23.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.52 OMR 0.97

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.40 OMR 0.54

2.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.86 OMR 0.72

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$0.87 OMR 0.34

140.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.03 OMR 0.39

79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.62 OMR 0.24

250.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.76 OMR 0.29

35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 OMR 0.20

101.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$5.84 OMR 2.25

-29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.30 OMR 5.89

-33.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.20 OMR 1.62

-60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$7.74 OMR 2.98

-67.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.54 OMR 0.98

27.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.80 OMR 0.31

201.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.49 OMR 4.04

-69.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.62 OMR 0.24

112.90%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.1K OMR 8,875

28.76%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$22.0K OMR 8,479

7.39%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$79.1 OMR 30.44

3.65%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$38.92 OMR 14.97

-41.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$70.4 OMR 27.07

-57.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$58.0 OMR 22.31

-10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$8.88 OMR 3.42

-43.92%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$193 OMR 74.3

2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,723 OMR 3,741

-45.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$50.7 OMR 19.52

-29.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.21 OMR 15.09

2.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$78.9 OMR 30.34

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$87.1 OMR 33.51

2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$206 OMR 79.3

359.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$128 OMR 49.15

271.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$491 OMR 189

234.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$345 OMR 133

251.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,972 OMR 1,144

-78.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.15

121.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $206 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 355% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in 'ibri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $206 per month, with 'ibri 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 'ibri: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and 'ibri differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $841 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 355% lower in 'ibri. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $206 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $841 in 'ibri – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $841 in 'ibri versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in 'ibri but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes 'ibri 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, Playa del Carmen and 'ibri 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 'ibri gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.