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: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,176 in Al-Rumaitha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,574 in Al-Rumaitha.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 62% more expensive than in Al-Rumaitha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al-Rumaitha 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$210

$4.00 IQD 5,239

199.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$733

$25.15 IQD 32.9K

66.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$189

$6.71 IQD 8,785

60.21%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$61.3

$2.60 IQD 3,408

34.62%

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

$1.45 MX$25.41

$0.39 IQD 515

271.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.52

$0.20 IQD 265

340.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

$2.86 IQD 3,745

3.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

$2.91 IQD 3,809

54.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$25.12

$1.33 IQD 1,738

7.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$32.23

$0.79 IQD 1,031

132.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.51

$1.66 IQD 2,168

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$44.06

$1.74 IQD 2,274

44.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$145

$4.37 IQD 5,727

89.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$148

$4.61 IQD 6,039

82.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$187

$13.31 IQD 17.4K

-19.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.76

$1.20 IQD 1,570

117.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.22

$1.15 IQD 1,507

25.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.41

$1.02 IQD 1,330

92.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.74

$0.74 IQD 964

182.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.47

$0.65 IQD 845

184.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$38.02

$0.67 IQD 872

223.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$18.09

$0.62 IQD 813

66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.84

$0.55 IQD 722

94.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$72.0

$1.89 IQD 2,479

116.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

$12.90 IQD 16.9K

-21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

$1.85 IQD 2,421

-9.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

$2.08 IQD 2,727

21.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.93

$0.36 IQD 478

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$457

$31.29 IQD 41.0K

-16.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.7

$2.33 IQD 3,054

38.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$42.19

$1.49 IQD 1,957

61.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.6

$5.92 IQD 7,756

-45.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.17

$0.57 IQD 751

131.58%

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

$29.7K MX$520.9K

$19.2K IQD 25.2M

54.42%

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

$23.7K MX$415.0K

$19.6K IQD 25.7M

20.74%

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

$82.0 MX$1,439

$78.1 IQD 102.3K

4.98%

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

$22.95 MX$403

$17.49 IQD 22.9K

31.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$528

$34.43 IQD 45.1K

-12.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$912

$36.84 IQD 48.2K

41.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$325

$17.12 IQD 22.4K

8.24%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$87.3

$7.63 IQD 9,995

-34.73%

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

$197 MX$3,463

$153 IQD 200.1K

29.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$93.6K

$3,328 IQD 4.4M

60.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$624

$26.81 IQD 35.1K

32.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$707

$25.05 IQD 32.8K

61.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,381

$62.3 IQD 81.5K

26.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,560

$40.45 IQD 53.0K

119.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.6K

$239 IQD 313.3K

295.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,314

$179 IQD 234.9K

164.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.8K

$584 IQD 764.6K

181.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.2K

$338 IQD 442.7K

258.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$71.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$113.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.67

101.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Al-Rumaitha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $25.00 in Al-Rumaitha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $183 per month, with Al-Rumaitha cheaper across the board.

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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Playa del Carmen and $1,165 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $239 in Al-Rumaitha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $777 in Al-Rumaitha – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Al-Rumaitha runs roughly 20% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $777 in Al-Rumaitha versus $1,256 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 62% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.