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 $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,352 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,273 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,194 in As-salimiyah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 3% cheaper than As-salimiyah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and As-salimiyah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, As-salimiyah 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$12.89 KWD 3.95

-7.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$58.5 KWD 17.94

-19.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$7.93 KWD 2.43

48.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.37 KWD 1.65

-23.28%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.76 KWD 0.23

84.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.34 KWD 0.10

167.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.28 KWD 0.39

31.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$0.75 KWD 0.23

186.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-10.61%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.06 KWD 0.63

36.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.45 KWD 1.36

106.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$5.47 KWD 1.68

68.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$9.44 KWD 2.89

33.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.15 KWD 0.66

37.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.58 KWD 0.49

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.34 KWD 0.41

65.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.49 KWD 0.46

58.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.31 KWD 0.40

51.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$0.79 KWD 0.24

150.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$1.64 KWD 0.50

-24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.50 KWD 0.15

142.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.72 KWD 0.83

69.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.93 KWD 0.29

-35.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

$48.99 KWD 15.02

-39.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$3.31 KWD 1.01

58.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.17 KWD 0.97

15.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$16.47 KWD 5.05

-64.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.32 KWD 0.10

381.25%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$20.7K KWD 6,350

10.09%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$20.3K KWD 6,211

27.41%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$32.77 KWD 10.05

176.69%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$20.76 KWD 6.37

21.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$30.42 KWD 9.33

4.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$95.6 KWD 29.31

-28.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

$65.2 KWD 19.98

-54.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.11 KWD 3.41

-56.26%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$275 KWD 84.4

-18.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$6,291 KWD 1,929

-33.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$37.48 KWD 11.49

26.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$38.10 KWD 11.68

14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$89.7 KWD 27.49

-10.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$64.8 KWD 19.86

41.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$889 KWD 273

22.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$641 KWD 196

-36.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,767 KWD 542

11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,367 KWD 419

-6.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$2,784 KWD 854

-72.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.53

75.34%

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 As-salimiyah: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $889 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 260% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $59.0 in As-salimiyah. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $157 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 4%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,029 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,352 in As-salimiyah. 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 $1,305, than in As-salimiyah at $1,352. 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.