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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $760 in Lusail, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,301 in Lusail, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,842 in Lusail, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 67% more than Lusail, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Lusail are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Lusail 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$8.18 QAR 29.77

41.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$69.1 QAR 252

-31.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.30 QAR 30.22

43.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.39 QAR 30.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.85 QAR 35.86

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$5.39 QAR 19.60

-26.16%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.81 QAR 2.94

76.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.27 QAR 0.97

203.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$2.15 QAR 7.83

-21.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.46 QAR 5.31

50.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$1.34 QAR 4.89

27.61%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.28 QAR 11.92

-16.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$11.18 QAR 40.69

-14.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$8.23 QAR 29.96

9.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$11.53 QAR 41.95

11.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.19 QAR 7.98

31.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.78 QAR 6.49

-15.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$1.50 QAR 5.45

43.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$0.54 QAR 1.95

318.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$0.57 QAR 2.09

247.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$0.57 QAR 2.08

249.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.45 QAR 5.26

-15.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.55 QAR 1.99

118.18%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$9.40 QAR 34.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 QAR 6.99

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 QAR 8.07

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$6.66 QAR 24.26

-31.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$1.94 QAR 7.07

177.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$2.09 QAR 7.62

78.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.50 QAR 49.16

-57.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.54 QAR 1.98

185.19%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$27.1K QAR 98.8K

-16.89%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$22.2K QAR 80.7K

17.53%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$87.5 QAR 319

4.41%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$35.88 QAR 131

-29.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$85.8 QAR 312

-63.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$12.29 QAR 44.73

-60.46%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$680 QAR 2,474

-67.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$9,957 QAR 36.2K

-57.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$61.4 QAR 224

-23.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$52.0 QAR 189

-14.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$107 QAR 389

-25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$87.6 QAR 319

5.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,357 QAR 4,941

-44.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.88

94.73%

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 Lusail: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 79% higher in Lusail, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $69.0 in Lusail. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $209 in Lusail – so Lusail 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 Lusail: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $760 in Lusail – roughly 67% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,140 in Lusail. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $69.0 in Lusail. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lusail, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Lusail it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $760 in Lusail to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lusail. 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.