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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,305 in Playa del Carmen versus $501 in Khartoum.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Playa del Carmen versus $677 in Khartoum.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,362 in Playa del Carmen versus $853 in Khartoum.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 161% more expensive than in Khartoum, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Khartoum 64% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.96 MX$203
$2.40 SDG 1,438
398.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$47.38 MX$804
$13.88 SDG 8,309
241.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.75 MX$199
$2.78 SDG 1,662
322.66%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$2.43 SDG 1,455
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.09 SDG 1,250
-
Cappuccino
$4.12 MX$70.0
$2.82 SDG 1,686
46.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.40 MX$23.75
$0.50 SDG 299
180.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.48
$0.39 SDG 231
133.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.21 MX$54.4
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.07 MX$120
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.68 MX$28.46
$1.39 SDG 829
20.86%
White Bread (500g)
$2.15 MX$36.50
$1.43 SDG 856
50.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.11
$1.39 SDG 830
27.34%
Eggs
$2.82 MX$47.78
$3.64 SDG 2,181
-22.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.20 MX$156
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.23 MX$157
$4.47 SDG 2,677
106.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 MX$214
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 MX$50.1
$4.26 SDG 2,549
-30.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 MX$26.80
$1.03 SDG 616
53.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 MX$37.72
$1.54 SDG 921
44.16%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.36 MX$40.11
$1.61 SDG 964
46.58%
Potato (1kg)
$1.99 MX$33.82
$1.01 SDG 605
97.03%
Onion (1kg)
$1.98 MX$33.60
$0.81 SDG 485
144.44%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 MX$21.05
$0.58 SDG 346
113.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.21 MX$20.56
$0.53 SDG 316
128.30%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$3.89 SDG 2,330
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.81 SDG 487
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.67 SDG 1,001
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.60 MX$78.1
$1.76 SDG 1,056
161.36%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.52 MX$179
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 MX$28.71
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$47.09
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.60 MX$10.23
$0.69 SDG 412
-13.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.70 MX$504
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.24 MX$88.9
$3.63 SDG 2,174
44.35%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.65 MX$61.9
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.78 MX$98.2
$5.05 SDG 3,021
14.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 MX$26.11
$1.33 SDG 796
15.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.8K MX$387.0K
$4,911 SDG 2.9M
364.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K MX$438.1K
$10.2K SDG 6.1M
153.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$90.7 MX$1,539
$71.9 SDG 43.0K
26.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.19 MX$428
$9.41 SDG 5,631
167.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.75 MX$539
$29.28 SDG 17.5K
8.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.8 MX$1,168
$8.07 SDG 4,828
752.42%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$29.37 MX$498
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 MX$82.5
$4.03 SDG 2,410
20.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$226 MX$3,830
$110 SDG 66.0K
104.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,194 MX$71.2K
$2,717 SDG 1.6M
54.35%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.38 MX$804
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.45 MX$737
$8.57 SDG 5,131
407.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 MX$1,362
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4 MX$1,551
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,086 MX$18.4K
$602 SDG 360.6K
80.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$409 MX$6,936
$170 SDG 101.8K
140.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,972 MX$33.5K
$1,291 SDG 772.4K
52.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,281 MX$21.7K
$161 SDG 96.6K
694.20%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,046 MX$68.7K
$1,060 SDG 634.4K
281.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,704 MX$113.8K
$985 SDG 589.5K
580.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Playa del Carmen
Khartoum
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$773 MX$13.1K
$235 SDG 140.7K
229.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.45
30
-61.83%

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 Khartoum: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen and $602 in Khartoum. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Playa del Carmen pays 229% 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: $47.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $14.00 in Khartoum for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $126 per month, with Khartoum 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 Khartoum: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Khartoum cheaper than Playa del Carmen?
Khartoum is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Playa del Carmen or Khartoum?
Average pay runs 229% higher in Playa del Carmen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Playa del Carmen and Khartoum?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $602 in Khartoum. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $226 in Playa del Carmen versus $110 in Khartoum. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Playa del Carmen or in Khartoum?
Dining out is cheaper in Khartoum – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Playa del Carmen or in Khartoum?
At $501 in Khartoum versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khartoum but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Khartoum the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Playa del Carmen or Khartoum more family-friendly?
For families, Khartoum 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Khartoum gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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