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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $768 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,159 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,549 in Al-`awabi, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 64% more than Al-`awabi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-`awabi are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al-`awabi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.32 OMR 2.05

125.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$26.36 OMR 10.14

58.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.01 OMR 2.31

78.87%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.46 OMR 1.72

-21.52%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.80 OMR 0.31

81.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.25 OMR 0.10

252.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$10.38 OMR 4.00

-71.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$10.57 OMR 4.07

-57.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-27.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.22 OMR 0.47

50.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.64 OMR 0.63

-4.27%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.45 OMR 0.94

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.75 OMR 1.44

120.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.88 OMR 1.88

72.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.28 OMR 3.19

28.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.52 OMR 0.97

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.78 OMR 0.69

10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.17 OMR 0.45

78.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.00 OMR 0.38

85.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.97 OMR 0.38

123.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-5.50%

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

$6.19 OMR 2.38

-33.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.63 OMR 6.01

-34.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.24 OMR 1.63

-60.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-67.97%

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

$3.06 OMR 1.18

5.56%

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

$10.53 OMR 4.05

-69.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.60 OMR 0.23

120.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$22.9K OMR 8,830

29.41%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.3K OMR 8,195

11.11%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$108 OMR 41.44

-23.85%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$40.67 OMR 15.65

-43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$69.8 OMR 26.85

-56.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.49 OMR 4.04

-52.53%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$196 OMR 75.3

0.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$10.1K OMR 3,868

-46.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$51.1 OMR 19.65

-30.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.03 OMR 15.40

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$79.9 OMR 30.74

-1.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$89.4 OMR 34.40

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

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

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 Al-`awabi: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Al-`awabi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $229 – making Al-`awabi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 64%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,152 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $768 in Al-`awabi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $196 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 $768, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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.