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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,298 in Al-Buraimi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,586 in Al-Buraimi.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 28% more expensive than Al-Buraimi, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al-Buraimi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.12 OMR 1.97

129.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$25.59 OMR 9.85

62.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.75 OMR 2.98

37.29%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$4.96 OMR 1.91

-29.03%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$1.06 OMR 0.41

42.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.32 OMR 0.12

203.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$12.15 OMR 4.68

-75.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$11.65 OMR 4.49

-61.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-31.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.23 OMR 0.48

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-5.75%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.47 OMR 0.95

1.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.87 OMR 1.49

115.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.08 OMR 1.96

64.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$8.79 OMR 3.38

22.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.61 OMR 1.00

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.73 OMR 0.67

-15.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.84 OMR 0.71

3.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.18 OMR 0.45

76.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.97 OMR 0.37

83.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.97 OMR 0.38

125.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.56 OMR 0.21

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$6.54 OMR 2.52

-37.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$15.77 OMR 6.07

-34.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

$4.32 OMR 1.66

-60.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

$7.74 OMR 2.98

-66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.59 OMR 1.00

25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$0.54 OMR 0.21

361.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$5.14 OMR 1.98

-36.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.65 OMR 0.25

101.54%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$22.5K OMR 8,664

34.55%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$21.6K OMR 8,300

8.69%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$105 OMR 40.56

-21.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$41.88 OMR 16.12

-46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$69.6 OMR 26.80

-57.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$10.36 OMR 3.99

-51.06%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$193 OMR 74.2

4.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,914 OMR 3,817

-47.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$49.99 OMR 19.25

-26.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$39.43 OMR 15.18

0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$79.0 OMR 30.42

-0.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$88.2 OMR 33.97

-1.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$206 OMR 79.4

126.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,613 OMR 1,391

-81.62%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al-Buraimi: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al-Buraimi pays 444% 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 $234 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Al-Buraimi earns 444% less. 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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,011 in Al-Buraimi – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,011 in Al-Buraimi versus $1,297 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 28% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.