Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and As-salimiyah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and As-salimiyah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,454 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,321 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,188 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 11% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while As-salimiyah is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$208

$9.53 KWD 2.93

25.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$744

$44.42 KWD 13.68

-3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$184

$8.01 KWD 2.47

32.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.0

$6.06 KWD 1.87

-40.26%

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

$1.47 MX$25.54

$0.64 KWD 0.20

129.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.41

$0.38 KWD 0.12

147.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$53.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$77.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.80

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.79

$0.82 KWD 0.25

129.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.34

$1.61 KWD 0.50

1.24%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.99

$2.06 KWD 0.63

28.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$143

$4.95 KWD 1.53

65.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$144

$6.26 KWD 1.93

32.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$193

$10.28 KWD 3.17

7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.14

$2.00 KWD 0.62

32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-7.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.59

$1.59 KWD 0.49

25.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.13

$1.41 KWD 0.43

47.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.11

$1.27 KWD 0.39

40.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$37.87

$0.91 KWD 0.28

139.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.73

$1.53 KWD 0.47

-29.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.04

$0.49 KWD 0.15

112.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.33 KWD 1.03

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.1

$2.98 KWD 0.92

33.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.46

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.02

$1.11 KWD 0.34

-53.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$469

$48.27 KWD 14.87

-44.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$54.7

$3.33 KWD 1.03

-5.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.80

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$53.7

$16.51 KWD 5.08

-81.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.16

$0.34 KWD 0.10

273.53%

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

$30.9K MX$537.3K

$21.5K KWD 6,610

43.89%

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

$23.3K MX$405.7K

$19.6K KWD 6,043

18.84%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$39.08 KWD 12.04

109.85%

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

$22.45 MX$391

$18.22 KWD 5.61

23.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$516

$25.96 KWD 7.99

14.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$903

$94.4 KWD 29.07

-45.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$325

$65.4 KWD 20.14

-71.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$86.5

$8.80 KWD 2.71

-43.52%

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

$198 MX$3,442

$276 KWD 85.2

-28.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$91.7K

$6,650 KWD 2,048

-20.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$632

$42.81 KWD 13.18

-15.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$697

$41.80 KWD 12.87

-4.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,390

$86.4 KWD 26.62

-7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,547

$69.5 KWD 21.41

27.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.8K

$978 KWD 301

-1.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,086

$723 KWD 223

-35.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.8K

$1,828 KWD 563

-12.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.0K

$1,379 KWD 425

-12.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.5K

$2,841 KWD 875

-74.65%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for As-salimiyah: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $978 in As-salimiyah. 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 294% higher in As-salimiyah, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $44.00 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $165 in As-salimiyah – so As-salimiyah 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 As-salimiyah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – As-salimiyah is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,180 in As-salimiyah. 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 $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,454 in As-salimiyah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 79% 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 $1,287, than in As-salimiyah at $1,454. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in As-salimiyah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, As-salimiyah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.