Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-hamra' Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-hamra'

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $956 in Al-hamra', rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,402 in Al-hamra', rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,848 in Al-hamra', rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 32% more than Al-hamra', driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-hamra' are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Al-hamra' 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$5.07 OMR 1.95

128.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$34.39 OMR 13.24

36.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$7.99 OMR 3.07

48.69%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.90 OMR 1.88

-18.78%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.84 OMR 0.32

70.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 OMR 0.10

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-75.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$12.76 OMR 4.91

-46.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.29 OMR 0.88

-26.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.27 OMR 0.49

73.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.88 OMR 0.72

-9.04%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$2.97 OMR 1.14

-7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$7.53 OMR 2.90

27.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.76 OMR 2.60

33.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.59 OMR 4.08

20.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$3.39 OMR 1.30

-14.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.96 OMR 0.76

-23.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.41 OMR 0.93

-10.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.25 OMR 0.48

80.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.21 OMR 0.47

63.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.23 OMR 0.47

61.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.83 OMR 0.70

-32.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.66 OMR 0.25

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.42 OMR 2.47

-29.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

$15.82 OMR 6.09

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

$5.50 OMR 2.12

-70.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

$9.08 OMR 3.50

-68.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.20 OMR 1.23

68.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.57 OMR 0.99

45.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$7.58 OMR 2.92

-23.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.60 OMR 0.23

156.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$25.8K OMR 9,948

-12.73%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$22.3K OMR 8,572

17.03%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$174 OMR 66.8

-47.36%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$31.42 OMR 12.10

-19.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$70.2 OMR 27.04

-55.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$10.35 OMR 3.99

-53.04%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$292 OMR 112

-23.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$10.5K OMR 4,029

-59.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$56.2 OMR 21.65

-16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$42.68 OMR 16.43

3.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$91.8 OMR 35.34

-12.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$4,370 OMR 1,682

-82.65%

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: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al-hamra': September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 476% higher in Al-hamra', which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $34.00 in Al-hamra'. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $286 in Al-hamra' – 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-hamra': Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,434 in Al-hamra'. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $956 in Al-hamra'. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $292 in Al-hamra'. 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-hamra', where all-in costs run around $956, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Al-hamra' 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-hamra' – 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-hamra'. 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.