Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-`awabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-`awabi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $957 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,420 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,884 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 35% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al-`awabi 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.16 OMR 1.98

126.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$34.34 OMR 13.22

35.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.00 OMR 3.08

45.63%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$4.84 OMR 1.86

-15.50%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.84 OMR 0.32

63.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.27 OMR 0.10

207.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$13.16 OMR 5.07

-74.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$12.90 OMR 4.97

-46.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-23.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.25 OMR 0.48

80.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$1.82 OMR 0.70

-2.75%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.98 OMR 1.15

-8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.79 OMR 3.00

17.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.91 OMR 2.66

29.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$10.67 OMR 4.11

18.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$3.55 OMR 1.37

-14.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$2.37 OMR 0.91

-10.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.21 OMR 0.46

86.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.16 OMR 0.45

72.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.24 OMR 0.48

66.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.63 OMR 0.24

90.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.63 OMR 2.55

-30.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$15.56 OMR 5.99

-31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

$5.64 OMR 2.17

-71.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-68.04%

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

$3.18 OMR 1.22

71.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$2.67 OMR 1.03

38.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$7.75 OMR 2.98

-22.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.64 OMR 0.25

142.19%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$25.8K OMR 9,926

-13.39%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$22.8K OMR 8,766

13.97%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$169 OMR 65.0

-47.22%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$31.28 OMR 12.04

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$71.1 OMR 27.37

-55.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$10.52 OMR 4.05

-52.00%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$288 OMR 111

-21.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$10.5K OMR 4,033

-59.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$57.0 OMR 21.94

-16.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$43.75 OMR 16.85

2.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$91.3 OMR 35.14

-10.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$94.5 OMR 36.38

-2.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

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

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 Al-`awabi: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Al-`awabi. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $288 in Al-`awabi – so Playa del Carmen wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Al-`awabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,435 in Al-`awabi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $957 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $288 in Al-`awabi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al-`awabi, where all-in costs run around $957, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Al-`awabi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al-`awabi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Al-`awabi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.