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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $470 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $737 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,004 in Al Kharijah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 168% more than Al Kharijah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Kharijah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Al Kharijah 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$3.49 E£176

235.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$15.95 E£802

162.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$4.77 E£240

120.34%

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$1.51 E£75.9

137.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.29 E£14.54

420.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.12 E£6.16

666.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

$1.18 E£59.2

150.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

$3.01 E£151

46.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$0.84 E£42.45

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.57 E£28.84

229.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$0.71 E£35.78

119.72%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$1.39 E£70.2

87.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$3.39 E£170

145.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$4.17 E£210

100.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$8.80 E£443

23.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$1.48 E£74.3

83.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$0.57 E£28.77

164.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$0.42 E£21.23

345.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$0.37 E£18.42

491.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.37 E£18.72

402.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.40 E£20.20

457.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$0.24 E£12.12

345.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.19 E£9.61

473.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$1.95 E£97.9

114.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

$6.23 E£313

67.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

$1.30 E£65.3

27.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

$1.82 E£91.3

43.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.18 E£9.02

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$0.38 E£19.30

710.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$0.29 E£14.59

727.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$1.96 E£98.7

59.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.33 E£16.80

296.97%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.6K E£1.8M

-16.39%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$33.4K E£1.7M

-30.27%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$12.08 E£608

572.85%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$6.47 E£325

248.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$10.71 E£539

180.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$22.51 E£1,132

135.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$3.04 E£153

61.84%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$88.0 E£4,424

128.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$1,854 E£93.3K

179.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$27.42 E£1,379

31.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$48.38 E£2,433

-17.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$109 E£5,459

-26.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$49.57 E£2,493

74.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$190 E£9,544

415.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$98.1 E£4,934

379.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$308 E£15.5K

435.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$178 E£8,958

575.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$692 E£34.8K

471.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$483 E£24.3K

1267.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

16.67

-31.49%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Kharijah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $190 in Al Kharijah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Al Kharijah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $252 vs $122 – making Al Kharijah 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 Kharijah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 168%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $705 in Al Kharijah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Kharijah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,260 in Playa del Carmen and $470 in Al Kharijah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $88.0 in Al Kharijah. 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 Kharijah, where all-in costs run around $470, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Al Kharijah 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 Kharijah – 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 Kharijah. 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.