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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $589 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $914 in Al Rehab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,240 in Al Rehab, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 120% 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 6% lower, Al Rehab 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$4.99 E£254

134.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$15.73 E£799

196.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$4.79 E£243

143.22%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.1

$1.65 E£83.9

147.88%

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

$1.37 MX$23.21

$0.36 E£18.25

280.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.08

$0.15 E£7.72

453.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.6

$1.26 E£63.8

165.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$2.38 E£121

190.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.16

$0.94 E£47.74

84.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.17

$0.61 E£30.92

270.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.88

$0.78 E£39.60

126.92%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.14

$1.38 E£70.4

97.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$4.20 E£214

118.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$4.29 E£218

107.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.84 E£449

42.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.0

$1.72 E£87.4

75.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.52

$0.74 E£37.63

112.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.89

$0.62 E£31.25

243.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.23

$0.54 E£27.40

318.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.84

$0.42 E£21.41

376.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.86

$0.42 E£21.34

390.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.92

$0.46 E£23.17

156.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.33

$0.20 E£10.14

500.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$2.02 E£103

129.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$180

$6.72 E£342

59.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.35

$1.01 E£51.4

60.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.65

$2.21 E£112

30.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.68

$0.38 E£19.11

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$9.91 E£504

201.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.0

$0.33 E£16.60

1551.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$0.21 E£10.84

1661.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$1.60 E£81.4

273.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.23

$0.41 E£20.76

278.05%

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

$22.3K MX$377.0K

$33.5K E£1.7M

-33.26%

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

$25.9K MX$438.2K

$24.0K E£1.2M

8.30%

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

$89.1 MX$1,505

$27.34 E£1,390

226.01%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$8.32 E£423

200.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$13.69 E£696

130.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$16.61 E£844

308.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$488

$5.84 E£297

395.21%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$2.96 E£150

70.61%

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

$225 MX$3,798

$29.79 E£1,514

655.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.3K

$798 E£40.6K

428.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$801

$23.94 E£1,216

98.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$759

$46.76 E£2,376

-3.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,384

$105 E£5,355

-22.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,555

$63.4 E£3,221

45.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$246 E£12.5K

334.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,844

$171 E£8,686

137.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$329 E£16.7K

487.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$323 E£16.4K

303.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$783 E£39.8K

410.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$111.9K

$814 E£41.4K

714.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.6K

$117 E£5,944

540.16%

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: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al Rehab: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $246 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 540% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $16.00 in Al Rehab. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $132 – 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 120% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $883 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $589 in Al Rehab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 201% less in Al Rehab. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Rehab, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $589 versus $1,293 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.