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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $847 in Ibra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,270 in Ibra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,693 in Ibra, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Ibra, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Ibra are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Ibra 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.16 OMR 1.99

132.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$727

$26.23 OMR 10.09

59.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.73 OMR 2.98

39.07%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.8

$4.93 OMR 1.90

-29.01%

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

$1.45 MX$25.21

$1.01 OMR 0.39

43.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.40

$0.32 OMR 0.12

175.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$12.37 OMR 4.76

-76.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.5

$11.64 OMR 4.48

-61.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.92

$2.01 OMR 0.77

-28.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.98

$1.24 OMR 0.48

48.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.30

$1.66 OMR 0.64

-5.42%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.72

$2.37 OMR 0.91

5.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$3.80 OMR 1.46

117.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$4.98 OMR 1.92

69.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$8.35 OMR 3.22

27.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.40

$2.61 OMR 1.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$1.73 OMR 0.66

-16.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.15

$1.85 OMR 0.71

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.45

$1.18 OMR 0.46

77.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.22

$1.01 OMR 0.39

83.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.72

$1.02 OMR 0.39

112.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.95

$1.08 OMR 0.42

-4.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.69

$0.52 OMR 0.20

105.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.29 OMR 2.42

-34.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$15.77 OMR 6.07

-35.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.15

$4.41 OMR 1.70

-61.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.96

$7.86 OMR 3.02

-67.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.86

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.11 OMR 1.20

3.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.86

$0.80 OMR 0.31

201.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$10.31 OMR 3.97

-68.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.99

$0.65 OMR 0.25

103.08%

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

$29.7K MX$516.8K

$23.2K OMR 8,939

27.87%

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

$23.7K MX$411.8K

$21.8K OMR 8,389

8.57%

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

$82.0 MX$1,427

$107 OMR 41.17

-23.33%

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

$22.95 MX$399

$41.12 OMR 15.83

-44.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$69.0 OMR 26.57

-56.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$904

$31.11 OMR 11.97

67.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$322

$18.34 OMR 7.06

1.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.09 OMR 2.73

-29.76%

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

$197 MX$3,436

$196 OMR 75.6

0.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,833 OMR 3,785

-45.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$619

$51.0 OMR 19.64

-30.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$39.28 OMR 15.12

2.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,370

$78.3 OMR 30.13

0.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,548

$86.9 OMR 33.46

2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,249

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$4,220 OMR 1,624

-84.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.15

121.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ibra: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 545% higher in Ibra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Ibra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $232 – making Ibra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ibra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 48% more than Ibra, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,270 in Ibra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $847 in Ibra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $196 in Ibra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ibra, where all-in costs run around $847, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Ibra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ibra costs $847 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Ibra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.