Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Buraimi Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Buraimi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,009 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,303 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,596 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 24% more expensive than in Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al-Buraimi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.28 OMR 2.03

127.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.64 OMR 9.87

62.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.58 OMR 2.92

41.82%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.76 OMR 1.83

-26.47%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$1.01 OMR 0.39

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.34 OMR 0.13

158.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$12.37 OMR 4.76

-76.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-62.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.99 OMR 0.76

-28.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.23 OMR 0.47

49.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.65 OMR 0.63

-4.85%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.40 OMR 0.92

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.81 OMR 1.46

117.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$5.13 OMR 1.97

64.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.77 OMR 3.38

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.51 OMR 0.97

3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.85 OMR 0.71

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.13 OMR 0.44

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.02 OMR 0.39

81.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$0.97 OMR 0.37

123.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.05 OMR 0.40

-1.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.56 OMR 0.21

91.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.44 OMR 2.48

-36.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.73 OMR 6.05

-35.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$4.42 OMR 1.70

-61.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$7.79 OMR 3.00

-67.52%

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

$2.61 OMR 1.01

23.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$0.53 OMR 0.21

354.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.34 OMR 2.06

-39.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.59 OMR 0.23

123.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$23.3K OMR 8,966

27.45%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.5K OMR 8,288

9.87%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$105 OMR 40.58

-22.23%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$40.41 OMR 15.55

-43.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$69.4 OMR 26.71

-56.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$10.24 OMR 3.94

-51.37%

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

$9,765 OMR 3,758

-45.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$50.4 OMR 19.41

-29.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$40.07 OMR 15.42

0.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$79.8 OMR 30.70

-1.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$89.1 OMR 34.29

-0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$208 OMR 79.9

128.16%

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

$3,590 OMR 1,382

-81.79%

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-Buraimi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 449% 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 Al-Buraimi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $233 per month, with Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Buraimi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 449% lower in Al-Buraimi. 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 7% 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 $1,009 in Al-Buraimi – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,009 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Buraimi but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Buraimi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi 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 Al-Buraimi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.