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 $1,294 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,195 in Mangaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,189 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,122 in Mangaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,084 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,049 in Mangaf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% more than Mangaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mangaf are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Mangaf 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$202

$6.47 KWD 1.99

81.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$719

$38.77 KWD 11.90

7.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.41 MX$179

$8.72 KWD 2.68

19.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$3.61 MX$62.1

$5.38 KWD 1.65

-32.90%

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

$1.46 MX$25.06

$0.31 KWD 0.10

370.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.70

$0.35 KWD 0.11

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$50.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.62 MX$79.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.59

$1.57 KWD 0.48

-8.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 MX$32.70

$1.25 KWD 0.38

52.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.95

$1.78 KWD 0.55

-11.80%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$45.34

$2.08 KWD 0.64

26.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.44 MX$145

$5.12 KWD 1.57

64.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 MX$148

$6.57 KWD 2.02

30.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 MX$189

$10.24 KWD 3.14

7.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.70 MX$46.51

$2.46 KWD 0.76

9.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$25.92

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-22.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.91 MX$32.93

$1.72 KWD 0.53

11.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.37

$1.50 KWD 0.46

44.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.25

$1.24 KWD 0.38

50.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.43

$1.32 KWD 0.41

68.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-32.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.47

$0.45 KWD 0.14

137.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 MX$71.6

$3.02 KWD 0.93

37.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.29 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$28.95

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.59

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.53

$0.83 KWD 0.25

-33.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.29 MX$452

$44.19 KWD 13.56

-40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$3.33 KWD 1.02

-3.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 MX$42.37

$2.40 KWD 0.74

2.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 MX$55.0

$11.51 KWD 3.53

-72.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.72

$0.32 KWD 0.10

312.50%

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

$30.2K MX$518.8K

$21.6K KWD 6,632

39.54%

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

$23.4K MX$402.5K

$19.7K KWD 6,060

18.49%

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

$81.4 MX$1,400

$63.7 KWD 19.56

27.65%

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

$22.41 MX$386

$18.23 KWD 5.60

22.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.97 MX$516

$26.33 KWD 8.08

13.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$887

$95.8 KWD 29.39

-46.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$316

$46.00 KWD 14.12

-60.02%

Cinema Ticket

$5.16 MX$88.9

$11.64 KWD 3.57

-55.67%

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

$202 MX$3,471

$403 KWD 124

-49.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,311 MX$91.4K

$6,582 KWD 2,020

-19.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.61 MX$613

$41.34 KWD 12.69

-13.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.37 MX$695

$41.82 KWD 12.83

-3.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 MX$1,353

$86.2 KWD 26.46

-8.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 MX$1,495

$80.6 KWD 24.74

7.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.3K

$575 KWD 177

65.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 MX$8,227

$476 KWD 146

0.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 MX$27.9K

$1,555 KWD 477

4.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 MX$21.0K

$1,272 KWD 390

-3.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,009 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,473 MX$111.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$673 MX$11.6K

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: June 15, 2026

Last update for Mangaf: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $950 in Playa del Carmen versus $575 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Mangaf. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $254 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 8%, 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 $1,941 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,793 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 $42.00 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 $1,294 in Playa del Carmen and $1,195 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 $1,195, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,294. 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.