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: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,038 in 'ibri.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,615 in 'ibri.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,374 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,192 in 'ibri.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 25% more expensive than in 'ibri, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, 'ibri 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.15 OMR 1.98

127.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$33.97 OMR 13.08

37.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.58 OMR 2.92

53.69%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-13.53%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.90 OMR 0.35

52.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.29 OMR 0.11

186.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-73.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$13.23 OMR 5.09

-47.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.31 OMR 0.50

32.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$0.76 OMR 0.29

197.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.33 OMR 0.51

33.08%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.11 OMR 0.81

29.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.66 OMR 2.95

19.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$5.08 OMR 1.95

75.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.46 OMR 4.03

20.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.64 OMR 1.02

14.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-18.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.60 OMR 0.62

33.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.06 OMR 0.41

113.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.06 OMR 0.41

88.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$0.80 OMR 0.31

157.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.76 OMR 0.29

55.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.54 OMR 0.21

122.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.34 OMR 2.44

-26.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$15.31 OMR 5.89

-30.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$5.71 OMR 2.20

-71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$8.90 OMR 3.43

-67.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$2.56 OMR 0.99

112.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.34 OMR 0.51

176.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.71 OMR 2.97

-22.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.62 OMR 0.24

150.00%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$25.9K OMR 9,967

-13.76%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$22.4K OMR 8,611

16.03%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$79.0 OMR 30.40

12.88%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$30.98 OMR 11.93

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$70.1 OMR 26.97

-55.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$76.5 OMR 29.45

-11.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$10.33 OMR 3.98

-51.11%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$290 OMR 112

-22.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$10.5K OMR 4,040

-59.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$56.9 OMR 21.90

-16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$43.50 OMR 16.75

3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$89.2 OMR 34.34

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$94.7 OMR 36.45

-2.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$232 OMR 89.4

360.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$184 OMR 70.7

120.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$476 OMR 183

306.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$372 OMR 143

249.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$2,956 OMR 1,138

-74.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.25

118.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for 'ibri: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen and $232 in 'ibri. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

'ibri pays 295% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $34.00 in 'ibri for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $277 vs $242 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,293 vs $1,038 including rent). 'ibri is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 295% 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: $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $232 in 'ibri. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,038 in 'ibri – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,038 in 'ibri versus $1,293 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 25% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.