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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,180 in Mangaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,084 in Mangaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,987 in Mangaf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 9% more than Mangaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mangaf are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Mangaf 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$6.70 KWD 2.06

78.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$39.41 KWD 12.10

8.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$9.08 KWD 2.79

16.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 KWD 1.16

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.53 KWD 1.70

-34.54%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.33 KWD 0.10

345.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.37 KWD 0.11

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.56 KWD 0.48

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.23 KWD 0.38

52.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-5.23%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.09 KWD 0.64

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$5.14 KWD 1.58

59.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.55 KWD 2.01

26.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.38 KWD 3.19

6.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.46 KWD 0.75

7.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-20.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.82 KWD 0.56

9.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.44 KWD 0.44

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.22 KWD 0.37

46.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.30 KWD 0.40

67.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-35.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.45 KWD 0.14

131.11%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.98 KWD 0.92

33.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.89 KWD 0.27

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$43.28 KWD 13.29

-37.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.30 KWD 1.01

-4.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.38 KWD 0.73

0.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$11.55 KWD 3.54

-73.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.32 KWD 0.10

296.88%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$21.4K KWD 6,585

43.98%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.7K KWD 6,041

18.49%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$62.0 KWD 19.03

32.30%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$18.59 KWD 5.71

20.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$26.33 KWD 8.08

12.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$95.4 KWD 29.30

-45.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$46.51 KWD 14.28

-59.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.64 KWD 3.57

-57.30%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$403 KWD 124

-50.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,503 KWD 1,997

-18.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.41 KWD 13.02

-14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$42.73 KWD 13.12

-6.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$87.6 KWD 26.89

-8.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$83.2 KWD 25.54

6.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$571 KWD 175

68.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$473 KWD 145

-1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,552 KWD 477

2.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,272 KWD 391

-4.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.5

153.78%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Mangaf: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $571 in Mangaf. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Mangaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $179 – making Mangaf 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 Mangaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,930 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,770 in Mangaf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mangaf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen and $39.00 in Mangaf. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,180 in Mangaf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mangaf, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,287. In Mangaf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mangaf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Mangaf. 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.