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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $869 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,546 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,222 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 45% more expensive than in Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al Mukalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$16.60 YER 3,930

-27.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$37.53 YER 8,883

11.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$16.58 YER 3,924

-35.16%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$8.15 YER 1,929

-57.06%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$3.77 YER 891

-61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.83 YER 197

6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.78 YER 185

135.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$6.46 YER 1,528

-75.70%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$7.18 YER 1,700

-65.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$14.54 YER 3,442

-43.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$22.96 YER 5,434

-63.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$56.6 YER 13.4K

-81.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$12.91 YER 3,056

-79.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$4.70 YER 1,112

-69.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$4.86 YER 1,151

-59.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$3.25 YER 770

-35.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$5.46 YER 1,292

-66.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$4.14 YER 980

-47.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$2.52 YER 596

-57.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

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

$22.95 MX$403

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

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

$197 MX$3,463

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $38.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $574, with Playa del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mukalla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al Mukalla is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,304 in Al Mukalla to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Shoppers in Playa del Carmen pay roughly 131% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Al Mukalla – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $869 in Al Mukalla versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al Mukalla but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al Mukalla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al Mukalla is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Al Mukalla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.