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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,003 in Doha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,069 in Doha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $4,134 in Doha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 35% cheaper than Doha, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Playa del Carmen sits 3% below the global median, while Doha is 49% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.77 QAR 24.64

73.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$54.0 QAR 196

-22.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.78 QAR 24.69

56.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.76 QAR 42.80

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.10 QAR 40.40

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

$4.98 QAR 18.14

-29.32%

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.84 QAR 3.07

79.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.31 QAR 1.13

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$2.04 QAR 7.44

-32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.63 QAR 5.92

15.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$2.15 QAR 7.82

-23.72%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.62 QAR 9.55

-4.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$11.34 QAR 41.26

-26.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.55 QAR 27.48

10.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

$10.43 QAR 37.97

2.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$1.98 QAR 7.21

31.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.57 QAR 5.73

-7.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.59 QAR 5.77

19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.45 QAR 5.26

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$0.98 QAR 3.57

81.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.07 QAR 3.88

104.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$1.38 QAR 5.03

-24.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.46 QAR 1.66

134.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.27 QAR 30.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 QAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 QAR 10.92

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

$6.47 QAR 23.53

-36.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.53 QAR 1.91

-3.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

$32.91 QAR 120

-19.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.23 QAR 8.11

46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

$2.22 QAR 8.07

12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

$13.60 QAR 49.50

-76.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.59 QAR 2.16

122.03%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

36.53%

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

$20.3K QAR 73.9K

15.40%

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$93.5 QAR 340

-11.35%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$37.48 QAR 136

-40.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$86.1 QAR 313

-65.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

$120 QAR 436

-56.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$32.38 QAR 118

-43.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

$12.20 QAR 44.41

-58.44%

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

$201 MX$3,470

$794 QAR 2,891

-74.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$11.7K QAR 42.7K

-55.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

$62.3 QAR 227

-40.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$54.6 QAR 199

-27.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

$99.4 QAR 362

-21.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

$90.2 QAR 328

-3.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$1,609 QAR 5,857

-39.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$1,094 QAR 3,983

-57.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$2,926 QAR 10.7K

-43.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$2,079 QAR 7,567

-41.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

$4,471 QAR 16.3K

-11.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

$2,709 QAR 9,860

139.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$3,111 QAR 11.3K

-78.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

6.08

87.83%

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 Doha: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,609 in Doha. 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 369% higher in Doha, 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 $54.0 in Doha. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $208 in Doha – so Doha 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 Doha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Doha is pricier by about 54%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $3,004 in Doha. 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.

Public transport costs about 24% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $794 in Doha. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Doha at $2,003. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Doha 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, Doha makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.