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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $605 in Al Mafraq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,044 in Al Mafraq, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,483 in Al Mafraq, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 114% more than Al Mafraq, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Mafraq are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Mafraq 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.30 JOD 3.04

172.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$48.74 JOD 34.49

-14.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.11 JOD 2.91

158.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$1.40 JOD 0.99

151.43%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.34 JOD 0.24

344.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.36 JOD 0.26

169.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.60 JOD 3.96

-47.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.19 JOD 5.09

-38.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.08 JOD 0.76

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.27 JOD 0.19

600.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.10 JOD 0.78

49.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.28 JOD 0.90

96.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.60 JOD 3.96

48.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.44 JOD 2.44

142.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$4.87 JOD 3.45

120.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$0.68 JOD 0.48

282.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$0.88 JOD 0.62

65.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.39 JOD 0.98

36.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.34 JOD 0.24

511.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.84 JOD 0.59

111.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.58 JOD 0.41

277.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.66 JOD 0.47

57.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.43 JOD 0.31

151.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.37 JOD 2.39

21.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$21.06 JOD 14.90

-51.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.63 JOD 3.28

-63.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.29 JOD 3.74

-51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.34 JOD 0.24

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.70 JOD 0.49

365.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.43 JOD 1.01

74.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$7.07 JOD 5.00

-54.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.45 JOD 1.03

-9.66%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.7K JOD 19.6K

9.39%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$32.2K JOD 22.8K

-27.13%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$105 JOD 74.0

-20.77%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$16.88 JOD 11.94

31.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$27.92 JOD 19.76

5.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$28.53 JOD 20.19

80.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.46 JOD 8.11

-55.76%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$69.2 JOD 48.98

190.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,488 JOD 3,884

-5.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$28.22 JOD 19.97

30.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$49.03 JOD 34.70

-18.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$113 JOD 80.2

-30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$41.77 JOD 29.56

108.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$70.0 JOD 49.55

1289.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$277 JOD 196

493.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$143 JOD 102

751.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,047 JOD 741

-36.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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 Mafraq: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $70.0 in Al Mafraq. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 58% higher in Al Mafraq, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Al Mafraq. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $175 in Al Mafraq – so Al Mafraq 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 Mafraq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 114%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $908 in Al Mafraq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $49.00 in Al Mafraq. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 42% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Mafraq, where all-in costs run around $605, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Al Mafraq 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 Mafraq – 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 Mafraq. 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.