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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,228 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,137 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,997 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,017 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,767 in Mahboula.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 2% more expensive than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Mahboula 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.67 KWD 2.07

79.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$25.91 KWD 8.03

61.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$8.76 KWD 2.72

22.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KWD 0.99

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$5.99 KWD 1.86

-41.57%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.51 KWD 0.16

184.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.18 KWD 0.06

388.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.01 KWD 0.31

82.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-9.25%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$1.28 KWD 0.40

96.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.15 KWD 1.60

60.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.45 KWD 2.00

30.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.51 KWD 3.26

1.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.35 KWD 0.73

11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.99 KWD 0.62

-27.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.73 KWD 0.54

13.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.13 KWD 0.35

84.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.23 KWD 0.38

50.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.12 KWD 0.35

93.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-39.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.45 KWD 0.14

137.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$1.65 KWD 0.51

148.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.86 KWD 0.27

-40.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$49.21 KWD 15.25

-47.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$1.61 KWD 0.50

100.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.60 KWD 0.50

50.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$5.80 KWD 1.80

-44.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.20 KWD 0.06

560.00%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.6K KWD 6,082

51.31%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$17.9K KWD 5,543

32.29%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$62.1 KWD 19.25

32.02%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$16.54 KWD 5.13

38.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$26.13 KWD 8.10

15.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$93.4 KWD 28.96

-44.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$46.15 KWD 14.30

-59.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$11.37 KWD 3.52

-56.20%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$392 KWD 122

-49.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,467 KWD 2,004

-17.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$41.82 KWD 12.96

-14.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$42.84 KWD 13.27

-5.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$87.1 KWD 26.99

-9.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$81.3 KWD 25.20

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$723 KWD 224

30.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$497 KWD 154

-4.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$1,824 KWD 565

-9.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$1,148 KWD 356

5.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,278 KWD 396

-48.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.14

59.94%

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 Mahboula: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $947 in Playa del Carmen and $723 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $171 per month, with Mahboula 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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Mahboula. 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: $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $723 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,228 in Mahboula – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,228 in Mahboula versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula 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 Mahboula 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.