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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $818 in Al-masna'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,200 in Al-masna'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,582 in Al-masna'ah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 55% more than Al-masna'ah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-masna'ah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Al-masna'ah 39% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.11 OMR 1.97

132.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.40 OMR 10.16

62.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$7.95 OMR 3.06

33.96%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.97 OMR 1.91

-30.58%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.06 OMR 0.41

41.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.32 OMR 0.12

196.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$12.21 OMR 4.70

-75.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$11.51 OMR 4.43

-59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.93 OMR 0.74

-28.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.23 OMR 0.47

50.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-5.85%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.36 OMR 0.91

9.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$3.75 OMR 1.44

120.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$5.11 OMR 1.97

63.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.40 OMR 3.23

26.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.52 OMR 0.97

4.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.74 OMR 0.67

-14.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.79 OMR 0.69

7.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.13 OMR 0.43

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.96 OMR 0.37

93.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.97 OMR 0.37

132.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.08 OMR 0.42

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.53 OMR 0.20

105.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.44 OMR 2.48

-35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$15.82 OMR 6.09

-34.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$4.23 OMR 1.63

-59.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-67.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.04 OMR 1.17

2.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.76 OMR 0.29

230.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$10.30 OMR 3.96

-69.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.63 OMR 0.24

101.59%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$23.3K OMR 8,949

30.63%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$21.8K OMR 8,374

8.31%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$107 OMR 41.25

-22.56%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$41.71 OMR 16.06

-45.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$69.4 OMR 26.73

-57.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$10.21 OMR 3.93

-51.71%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$192 OMR 74.0

2.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$9,766 OMR 3,759

-45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$50.8 OMR 19.57

-27.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$38.61 OMR 14.86

3.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$79.4 OMR 30.54

0.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$89.1 OMR 34.28

0.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$4,061 OMR 1,563

-83.58%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Al-masna'ah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 509% higher in Al-masna'ah, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Al-masna'ah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $230 – making Al-masna'ah 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-masna'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, $818 in Al-masna'ah – roughly 55% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,227 in Al-masna'ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $818 in Al-masna'ah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $192 in Al-masna'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al-masna'ah, where all-in costs run around $818, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Al-masna'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $818 in Al-masna'ah to $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Al-masna'ah. 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.