Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ar-rustaq Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ar-rustaq

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $934 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,412 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,890 in Ar-rustaq, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 40% more than Ar-rustaq, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ar-rustaq are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ar-rustaq 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$202

$5.27 OMR 2.03

126.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$800

$34.12 OMR 13.13

38.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$198

$7.61 OMR 2.93

54.40%

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$69.6

$4.88 OMR 1.88

-15.57%

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

$1.40 MX$23.63

$0.85 OMR 0.33

64.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.40

$0.29 OMR 0.11

213.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.1

$13.01 OMR 5.01

-75.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$119

$13.14 OMR 5.06

-46.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.31

$2.27 OMR 0.87

-25.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.31

$1.28 OMR 0.49

67.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.83 OMR 0.70

-3.28%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.54

$2.86 OMR 1.10

-1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$155

$7.47 OMR 2.88

23.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$156

$6.70 OMR 2.58

37.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$213

$10.59 OMR 4.08

19.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$49.83

$3.51 OMR 1.35

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.66

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-21.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.53

$2.42 OMR 0.93

-8.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$39.90

$1.19 OMR 0.46

98.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.65

$1.21 OMR 0.47

64.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.42

$1.24 OMR 0.48

59.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$20.94

$1.85 OMR 0.71

-32.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.46

$0.62 OMR 0.24

95.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$77.7

$6.32 OMR 2.43

-27.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

$15.53 OMR 5.98

-32.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.56

$5.43 OMR 2.09

-68.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$46.84

$9.01 OMR 3.47

-69.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.17

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$502

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.4

$3.19 OMR 1.23

64.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.6

$2.68 OMR 1.03

36.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.7

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-27.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$25.97

$0.61 OMR 0.23

152.46%

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

$22.8K MX$385.0K

$25.2K OMR 9,695

-9.45%

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

$25.8K MX$435.8K

$22.4K OMR 8,606

15.47%

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

$90.7 MX$1,531

$174 OMR 66.9

-47.80%

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

$25.19 MX$425

$30.45 OMR 11.72

-17.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$536

$69.1 OMR 26.60

-54.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,162

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$496

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.1

$10.37 OMR 3.99

-53.13%

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

$226 MX$3,811

$288 OMR 111

-21.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$70.8K

$10.6K OMR 4,064

-60.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$800

$55.7 OMR 21.44

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$734

$43.38 OMR 16.70

0.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,355

$89.5 OMR 34.47

-10.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,543

$97.3 OMR 37.44

-6.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,900

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$4,389 OMR 1,690

-82.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.25

118.10%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ar-rustaq: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 468% higher in Ar-rustaq, 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 $34.00 in Ar-rustaq. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $284 in Ar-rustaq – so Playa del Carmen 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 Ar-rustaq: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 40%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,401 in Ar-rustaq. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $934 in Ar-rustaq. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $288 in Ar-rustaq. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ar-rustaq, where all-in costs run around $934, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,305. In Ar-rustaq it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ar-rustaq – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ar-rustaq. 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.