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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,066 in Mangaf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,362 in Mangaf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,657 in Mangaf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 19% more than Mangaf, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Mangaf are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Mangaf 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$6.47 KWD 1.99

79.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$812

$63.8 KWD 19.57

-26.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$6.55 KWD 2.01

81.37%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.6

$4.98 KWD 1.53

-20.08%

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

$1.43 MX$24.60

$0.34 KWD 0.10

320.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.22

$0.29 KWD 0.09

182.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.89

$1.65 KWD 0.51

1.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.88

$1.53 KWD 0.47

43.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.45

$1.97 KWD 0.60

-13.20%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.26

$2.13 KWD 0.65

28.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$4.35 KWD 1.34

120.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$6.79 KWD 2.09

32.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$10.35 KWD 3.18

23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.81

$2.44 KWD 0.75

18.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.91 KWD 0.59

-21.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$37.03

$1.81 KWD 0.55

18.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.96

$1.55 KWD 0.48

45.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.15

$1.37 KWD 0.42

44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.30

$1.45 KWD 0.44

37.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.28

$2.36 KWD 0.72

-47.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.63

$0.47 KWD 0.14

155.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.5

$2.73 KWD 0.84

66.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.35

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.9

$4.98 KWD 1.53

8.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.3

$3.33 KWD 1.02

12.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.5

$16.49 KWD 5.06

-65.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.48

$0.33 KWD 0.10

366.67%

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

$22.5K MX$388.8K

$21.4K KWD 6,574

5.30%

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

$26.1K MX$449.3K

$20.4K KWD 6,266

27.67%

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

$91.4 MX$1,576

$66.4 KWD 20.37

37.72%

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

$25.20 MX$435

$22.44 KWD 6.89

12.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$539

$30.05 KWD 9.22

3.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,159

$48.93 KWD 15.02

37.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.8

$11.14 KWD 3.42

-56.37%

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

$224 MX$3,856

$303 KWD 92.9

-26.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.9K

$9,315 KWD 2,860

-54.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$812

$38.02 KWD 11.67

23.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$764

$39.62 KWD 12.16

11.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,381

$99.1 KWD 30.42

-19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,598

$89.6 KWD 27.51

3.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$241 KWD 74.1

340.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,728

$427 KWD 131

-8.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.53

75.34%

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 Mangaf: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $241 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $64.0 in Mangaf. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $187 in Mangaf – so Mangaf 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 Mangaf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 19%, 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 $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,599 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $64.0 in Mangaf. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mangaf, where all-in costs run around $1,066, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.