Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-'udayliyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-'udayliyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,345 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,240 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,136 in Al-'udayliyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Al-'udayliyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Al-'udayliyah is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.55 KWD 2.33

55.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$59.5 KWD 18.37

-30.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.52 KWD 2.63

24.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 KWD 1.05

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.24 KWD 1.62

-32.82%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.63 KWD 0.20

139.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.33 KWD 0.10

193.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.04 KWD 0.32

81.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.64 KWD 0.51

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$1.98 KWD 0.61

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$4.42 KWD 1.36

88.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$6.47 KWD 2.00

28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.61 KWD 2.97

11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.28 KWD 0.70

14.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.59 KWD 0.49

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.50 KWD 0.46

26.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.41 KWD 0.44

47.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.22 KWD 0.38

45.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.15 KWD 0.35

90.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.46 KWD 0.14

134.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$2.92 KWD 0.90

39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$0.83 KWD 0.26

-38.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$43.73 KWD 13.50

-39.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.29 KWD 1.02

-0.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$3.34 KWD 1.03

-25.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$16.33 KWD 5.04

-80.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.33 KWD 0.10

296.97%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$20.4K KWD 6,295

48.54%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$19.4K KWD 6,002

20.54%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$63.2 KWD 19.51

31.14%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$18.10 KWD 5.59

22.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$25.40 KWD 7.84

15.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$94.4 KWD 29.14

-45.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$46.40 KWD 14.33

-60.52%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$11.34 KWD 3.50

-55.29%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$283 KWD 87.5

-29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$5,995 KWD 1,851

-13.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$42.92 KWD 13.25

-13.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$42.56 KWD 13.14

-6.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$88.2 KWD 27.23

-11.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$83.3 KWD 25.74

4.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$785 KWD 242

23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$611 KWD 189

-23.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,545 KWD 477

6.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,299 KWD 401

-6.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$11.9K KWD 3,681

-66.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$2,904 KWD 897

123.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$5,479 KWD 1,692

-87.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.14

59.94%

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-'udayliyah: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $785 in Al-'udayliyah. 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 725% higher in Al-'udayliyah, 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 $59.0 in Al-'udayliyah. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $166 in Al-'udayliyah – so Al-'udayliyah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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-'udayliyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Al-'udayliyah costs about 4% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $2,017 in Al-'udayliyah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,345 in Al-'udayliyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 65% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Al-'udayliyah at $1,345. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al-'udayliyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,297 versus $1,345 in Al-'udayliyah. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al-'udayliyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.