Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Rumaitha Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Rumaitha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,237 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,087 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 227% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Al-Rumaitha 72% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$807

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.1

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

$1.43 MX$24.45

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.13

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.71

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.64

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.27

$0.78 IQD 1,026

119.23%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.96

$1.88 IQD 2,464

45.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$1.86 IQD 2,426

384.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$219

$10.58 IQD 13.8K

21.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.49

$0.78 IQD 1,019

270.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.65

$0.74 IQD 963

102.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.80

$0.73 IQD 956

194.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.71

$0.36 IQD 476

527.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.93

$0.37 IQD 479

435.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.09

$0.39 IQD 510

410.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.15

$0.39 IQD 512

215.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.50

$0.40 IQD 520

200.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$1.50 IQD 1,960

203.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$13.23 IQD 17.3K

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.74

$1.50 IQD 1,968

8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.35

$2.27 IQD 2,967

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

$0.39 IQD 511

53.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$493

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.3

$2.22 IQD 2,907

142.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$0.74 IQD 964

404.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.32

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

$22.5K MX$386.3K

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

$26.1K MX$446.5K

$9,177 IQD 12.0M

183.95%

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

$91.4 MX$1,566

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

$25.20 MX$432

$76.9 IQD 100.6K

-67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$535

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,151

$26.69 IQD 34.9K

151.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

$3.72 IQD 4,871

682.53%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.3

$11.58 IQD 15.1K

-58.03%

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

$224 MX$3,832

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$807

$11.29 IQD 14.8K

317.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$15.43 IQD 20.2K

187.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,588

$23.27 IQD 30.4K

298.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

$152 IQD 199.4K

597.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,686

$114 IQD 148.7K

243.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

$230 IQD 300.8K

834.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

$1,541 IQD 2.0M

-17.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen and $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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-Rumaitha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-Rumaitha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 227% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $580 in Al-Rumaitha 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $152 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $387 in Al-Rumaitha – a 227% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $387 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Al-Rumaitha but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Al-Rumaitha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Al-Rumaitha 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-Rumaitha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 227% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.