Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Rehab

For one person, living is cheaper in Al Rehab: $560 a month against $1,204 in Playa del Carmen, rent and utilities included – about $7,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,204
/mo nomad
Al Rehab
🇪🇬 Egypt
$560
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Playa del Carmen and in Al Rehab

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Playa del Carmen and in Al Rehab actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,204 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $560 in Al Rehab, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $1,204
  • Al Rehab $560

A couple spends around $2,102 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $891 in Al Rehab, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $2,102
  • Al Rehab $891

A family of three spends $3,000 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,223 in Al Rehab, rent included.

  • Playa del Carmen $3,000
  • Al Rehab $1,223

Playa del Carmen costs about 115% more than Al Rehab, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Rehab are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 11% lower, Al Rehab 59% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.86 MX$201
$4.61 E£246
135.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$44.21 MX$817
$18.65 E£996
137.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.76 MX$217
$4.49 E£240
161.92%
Cappuccino
$3.68 MX$68.0
$1.71 E£91.1
115.20%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 MX$24.79
$0.34 E£17.94
294.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.82 MX$15.24
$0.14 E£7.33
485.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.06 MX$56.6
$1.24 E£66.1
146.77%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.94 MX$91.2
$2.28 E£122
116.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 MX$27.17
$0.96 E£51.3
53.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.22 MX$40.95
$0.59 E£31.40
276.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.48 MX$27.32
$0.66 E£35.44
124.24%
Eggs
$2.49 MX$45.99
$1.32 E£70.7
88.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.52 MX$139
$4.09 E£218
83.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.96 MX$147
$4.04 E£216
97.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.57 MX$232
$8.75 E£467
43.66%
Apples (1kg)
$2.78 MX$51.3
$1.60 E£85.4
73.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.43 MX$26.37
$0.76 E£40.40
88.16%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 MX$48.37
$0.54 E£28.74
385.19%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 MX$39.49
$0.50 E£26.62
328.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.02 MX$37.38
$0.37 E£19.98
445.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$36.74
$0.40 E£21.60
397.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.14 MX$21.01
$0.44 E£23.35
159.09%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.20 MX$22.18
$0.21 E£11.43
471.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 MX$78.7
$1.90 E£101
124.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.02 MX$185
$6.35 E£339
57.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54 MX$28.41
$0.91 E£48.85
69.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.66 MX$49.17
$2.06 E£110
29.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.53 MX$9.73
$0.40 E£21.42
32.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$27.51 MX$508
$9.25 E£494
197.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.90 MX$90.6
$0.31 E£16.38
1480.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.43 MX$63.5
$0.17 E£9.10
1917.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.38 MX$99.4
$1.52 E£81.3
253.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 MX$26.76
$0.44 E£23.38
229.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K MX$391.0K
$32.0K E£1.7M
-33.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K MX$425.3K
$22.8K E£1.2M
1.07%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$85.4 MX$1,577
$25.31 E£1,351
237.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.46 MX$434
$8.02 E£428
192.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.43 MX$525
$14.34 E£766
98.26%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.2 MX$1,149
$16.01 E£855
288.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68 MX$530
$5.66 E£302
406.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.10 MX$94.3
$4.09 E£219
24.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$201 MX$3,715
$27.94 E£1,492
619.65%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,947 MX$72.9K
$747 E£39.9K
428.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.39 MX$820
$23.26 E£1,242
90.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.35 MX$764
$42.94 E£2,293
-3.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 MX$1,344
$101 E£5,396
-28.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$89.6 MX$1,656
$59.2 E£3,161
51.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$979 MX$18.1K
$215 E£11.5K
354.82%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$373 MX$6,887
$163 E£8,723
128.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,681 MX$31.1K
$318 E£17.0K
428.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,095 MX$20.2K
$306 E£16.3K
258.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,949 MX$73.0K
$753 E£40.2K
424.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,137 MX$113.4K
$770 E£41.1K
696.45%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Al Rehab
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$738 MX$13.6K
$112 E£5,980
558.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
16.21
-29.36%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Playa del Carmen: October 17, 2026

Last update for Al Rehab: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
$373
Al Rehab
$163 56.2% $209
Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
$258
Al Rehab
$127 50.8% $131
Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
$200
Al Rehab
$83 58.3% $117
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
$137
Al Rehab
$48 65.3% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
$112
Al Rehab
$102 8.7% $9.7
Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
$72
Al Rehab
$24 66.6% $48
Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
$52
Al Rehab
$12 76.8% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Playa del Carmen versus $215 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 559% 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 $44.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $19.00 in Al Rehab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $127 – making Al Rehab the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🇪🇬 Al Rehab
🕒 Local time
15:17 3:17 PM
23:17 11:17 PM
8 h ahead of Playa del Carmen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
149,923
699,541
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

EGP, USD, EUR to MXN – Mexican Peso Converter

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

Egyptian Pound exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 53.4 EGP (100 EGP = 1.87 USD). 1 EUR = 60.03 EGP (100 EGP = 1.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Playa del Carmen Al Rehab 11,450 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Playa del Carmen
  • Al Rehab

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Playa del Carmen or Al Rehab?
Playa del Carmen costs about 115% more than Al Rehab, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Playa del Carmen and in Al Rehab?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,806 per month in Playa del Carmen and $839 in Al Rehab. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Playa del Carmen or Al Rehab?
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.
How much does it cost to live in Playa del Carmen compared to Al Rehab?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,204 in Playa del Carmen and $560 in Al Rehab. That's a gap of about 115%.
How expensive is transport in Playa del Carmen compared to Al Rehab?
Public transport costs about 197% less in Al Rehab. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Playa del Carmen or in Al Rehab?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Rehab, where all-in costs run around $560, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,204. In Al Rehab it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Playa del Carmen or Al Rehab?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Rehab costs $560 versus $1,204 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Playa del Carmen or to Al Rehab?
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.

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