Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Amwaj Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Amwaj

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $613 in Amwaj, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,394 in Amwaj, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,175 in Amwaj, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Amwaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Amwaj are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Amwaj 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$10.63 BHD 4.01

10.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$31.28 BHD 11.79

48.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$9.82 BHD 3.70

18.64%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.94 BHD 1.49

3.81%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$2.16 BHD 0.82

-36.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.68 BHD 0.26

22.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$7.85 BHD 2.96

-57.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$10.74 BHD 4.05

-35.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$5.38 BHD 2.03

-13.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.74 BHD 0.28

109.46%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$37.8K BHD 14.2K

-31.33%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$132 BHD 49.82

-32.55%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$23.82 BHD 8.98

5.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$67.1 BHD 25.31

-53.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

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

$225 MX$3,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$13.3K BHD 5,024

-68.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$65.0 BHD 24.50

-27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$65.9 BHD 24.85

-31.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$93.6 BHD 35.27

-12.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$119 BHD 44.94

-22.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$2,393 BHD 902

-19.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$2,992 BHD 1,128

-56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$3,932 BHD 1,482

-80.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

63.57%

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 Amwaj: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 425% higher in Amwaj, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $31.00 in Amwaj. Use this as a proxy for overall food spending across the 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 Amwaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 111% more than Amwaj, 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 $920 in Amwaj. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $613 in Amwaj. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $31.00 in Amwaj. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Amwaj, where all-in costs run around $613, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Amwaj 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. Amwaj costs $613 versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Amwaj. 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.