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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen versus $304 in Duqm.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,279 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Duqm.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,292 in Playa del Carmen versus $695 in Duqm.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 317% more expensive than in Duqm, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Duqm 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$4.85 OMR 1.87

139.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$13.02 OMR 5.01

261.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$2.40 OMR 0.93

65.83%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.53 OMR 0.20

169.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.34 OMR 0.13

141.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

$7.61 OMR 2.93

-58.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

$13.13 OMR 5.05

-48.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$2.66 OMR 1.02

-35.71%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.89 OMR 1.11

-5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$5.33 OMR 2.05

69.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$3.40 OMR 1.31

-15.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$0.80 OMR 0.31

148.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.21 OMR 0.08

471.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

$13.10 OMR 5.04

-78.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

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

$25.20 MX$435

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$78.8 OMR 30.33

-14.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

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

$224 MX$3,856

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Duqm: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $13.00 in Duqm for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $276 vs $96.0 per month, with Duqm cheaper across the board.

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 Duqm: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Duqm is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 317% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,899 in Playa del Carmen and $456 in Duqm to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 187% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Duqm – a meal for two runs $13.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $304 in Duqm versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Duqm but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Duqm the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Duqm is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Duqm 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 Duqm gentler on the wallet – expenses run 317% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.