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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $489 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $757 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,024 in Al Rehab, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Al Rehab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Rehab are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Rehab 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$4.05 E£210

189.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$14.01 E£727

197.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$4.62 E£240

130.30%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$1.47 E£76.2

139.46%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.32 E£16.44

371.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.14 E£7.41

592.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$1.42 E£73.7

107.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$2.80 E£145

58.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$0.95 E£49.47

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$0.31 E£16.15

509.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$0.69 E£36.00

137.68%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.46 E£75.7

71.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.33 E£173

150.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.18 E£217

99.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.45 E£439

26.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$1.29 E£67.0

101.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$0.60 E£31.07

143.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$0.44 E£22.91

331.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$0.39 E£20.12

433.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$0.50 E£25.79

256.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$0.43 E£22.37

409.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$0.22 E£11.36

372.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.21 E£11.07

414.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$1.94 E£101

110.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$6.54 E£340

57.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$1.27 E£66.0

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$1.79 E£92.9

44.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.20 E£10.44

155.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$0.41 E£21.47

695.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.31 E£16.28

703.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$0.97 E£50.3

235.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.30 E£15.54

336.67%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$36.6K E£1.9M

-17.30%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$30.8K E£1.6M

-23.83%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$24.46 E£1,269

238.80%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$9.74 E£505

128.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$12.80 E£664

129.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$22.36 E£1,161

130.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$3.04 E£158

66.78%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$33.37 E£1,732

501.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$1,949 E£101.2K

167.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$23.77 E£1,234

55.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$42.08 E£2,184

-5.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$107 E£5,551

-26.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$57.8 E£2,997

50.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$190 E£9,836

413.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$101 E£5,241

363.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$310 E£16.1K

429.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$178 E£9,230

586.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$770 E£39.9K

412.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$783 E£40.6K

730.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$116 E£6,032

471.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-42.90%

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 Rehab: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $190 in Al Rehab. 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 471% higher in Playa del Carmen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $14.00 in Al Rehab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $120 – making Al Rehab 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 Rehab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 165% more than Al Rehab, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $733 in Al Rehab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Al Rehab, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $489 in Al Rehab. 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 $33.37 in Al Rehab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Rehab, where all-in costs run around $489, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Al Rehab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Rehab costs $489 versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Al Rehab. 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.