Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Ghubra Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Ghubra

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Al Ghubra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $465 in Al Ghubra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $585 in Al Ghubra.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 276% more expensive than Al Ghubra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Ghubra 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.27 OMR 0.10

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-26.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.12 OMR 0.82

-22.64%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$5.18 OMR 1.99

-51.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.12 OMR 0.82

22.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.87 OMR 0.72

-21.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.85 OMR 0.71

2.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.31 OMR 0.51

58.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.68 OMR 0.26

161.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$0.68 OMR 0.26

222.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.50 OMR 0.19

116.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$113 OMR 43.36

-26.42%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$84.3 OMR 32.46

-65.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$43.59 OMR 16.78

18.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$36.90 OMR 14.21

-50.35%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$9.02 OMR 3.47

-43.79%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$185 OMR 71.1

8.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$10.6K OMR 4,066

-50.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

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

$2,669 OMR 1,028

-75.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Ghubra: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Al Ghubra pays 302% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ghubra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Al Ghubra differ by about 276% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $345 including rent). Al Ghubra is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Al Ghubra earns 302% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Childcare runs $201 in Playa del Carmen versus $185 in Al Ghubra. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $345 in Al Ghubra – a 276% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $345 in Al Ghubra versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Al Ghubra but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Ghubra 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 Al Ghubra 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 Ghubra gentler on the wallet – expenses run 276% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.