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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Dukhan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,239 in Dukhan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,817 in Dukhan.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 22% less than in Dukhan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Playa del Carmen is 3% below, Dukhan is 24% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.66 QAR 24.26

76.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$55.3 QAR 201

-24.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$6.78 QAR 24.66

56.93%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.51 QAR 41.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.16 QAR 40.64

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$5.03 QAR 18.29

-30.02%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$0.81 QAR 2.94

86.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.31 QAR 1.12

212.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.12 QAR 7.73

-34.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.55 QAR 5.66

21.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$2.23 QAR 8.10

-26.46%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.60 QAR 9.46

-3.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$11.74 QAR 42.74

-28.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$7.75 QAR 28.20

7.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$10.45 QAR 38.04

2.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.04 QAR 7.44

27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.63 QAR 5.94

-10.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.56 QAR 5.67

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.45 QAR 5.27

43.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.03 QAR 3.73

72.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.12 QAR 4.09

95.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.38 QAR 5.02

-24.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.48 QAR 1.76

125.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$8.11 QAR 29.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 QAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 QAR 11.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.22 QAR 22.63

-34.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$2.23 QAR 8.13

46.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$2.22 QAR 8.08

12.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$13.66 QAR 49.74

-76.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.52 QAR 1.90

151.92%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.2K QAR 80.9K

36.32%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$20.7K QAR 75.2K

13.36%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$90.7 QAR 330

-8.60%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$38.06 QAR 139

-41.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$87.1 QAR 317

-66.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$12.33 QAR 44.87

-58.88%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$793 QAR 2,888

-74.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$11.9K QAR 43.2K

-56.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$60.8 QAR 221

-39.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$56.4 QAR 205

-29.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$102 QAR 372

-23.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$90.7 QAR 330

-3.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$1,399 QAR 5,091

-30.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$933 QAR 3,397

-49.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,739 QAR 6,329

-5.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$1,165 QAR 4,242

4.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$4,097 QAR 14.9K

-83.80%

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 Dukhan: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $1,399 in Dukhan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dukhan pays 517% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $55.0 in Dukhan. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $212, with Dukhan cheaper for home cooking.

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 Dukhan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Dukhan differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,662 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dukhan earns 517% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,399 in Dukhan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Dukhan pay roughly 18% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Dukhan – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,662 in Dukhan, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Dukhan. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Dukhan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Dukhan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.