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: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $870 in Al Mukalla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,554 in Al Mukalla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,238 in Al Mukalla.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 49% more expensive than Al Mukalla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Mukalla 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$16.72 YER 3,985

-29.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$37.33 YER 8,895

11.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$16.27 YER 3,877

-34.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$8.09 YER 1,929

-56.49%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$3.77 YER 899

-59.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.78 YER 186

24.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.86 YER 205

119.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$6.60 YER 1,572

-75.15%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$7.29 YER 1,738

-65.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$14.27 YER 3,401

-41.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$23.34 YER 5,561

-64.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$58.5 YER 13.9K

-81.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$12.76 YER 3,042

-79.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$4.83 YER 1,151

-69.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$4.80 YER 1,144

-60.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$3.20 YER 764

-35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$5.21 YER 1,243

-65.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$4.16 YER 990

-47.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$2.48 YER 591

-56.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

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

$22.22 MX$385

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

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

$201 MX$3,480

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Mukalla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $37.00 in Al Mukalla. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $581, 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 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,945 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 133% 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 $37.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Al Mukalla versus $1,297 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 49% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.