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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Playa del Carmen costs roughly 3% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Muscat 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$5.29 OMR 2.04

121.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$721

$26.39 OMR 10.16

57.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.84 OMR 3.02

35.71%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$61.0

$4.95 OMR 1.90

-28.89%

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

$1.51 MX$26.17

$1.02 OMR 0.39

48.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.87

$0.34 OMR 0.13

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.1

$12.16 OMR 4.68

-75.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.2

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-62.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.97

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-31.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.78

$1.20 OMR 0.46

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.37

$1.70 OMR 0.65

-3.53%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.42

$2.45 OMR 0.94

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$3.84 OMR 1.48

117.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$145

$5.16 OMR 1.98

61.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$8.46 OMR 3.26

26.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.12

$2.54 OMR 0.98

2.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.25

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-15.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.94

$1.77 OMR 0.68

7.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.98

$1.13 OMR 0.44

84.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.77

$1.00 OMR 0.38

78.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.87

$1.02 OMR 0.39

114.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$18.02

$1.03 OMR 0.40

0.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.66

$0.56 OMR 0.22

92.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.7

$6.22 OMR 2.39

-34.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$179

$15.55 OMR 5.99

-33.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.67

$4.25 OMR 1.64

-59.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.63

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-67.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.83

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-59.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$459

$62.3 OMR 23.99

-57.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.5

$3.16 OMR 1.22

3.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.17

$0.80 OMR 0.31

211.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.3

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-68.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.65

$0.60 OMR 0.23

118.33%

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

$30.3K MX$524.7K

$22.8K OMR 8,778

32.81%

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

$23.4K MX$406.0K

$21.8K OMR 8,405

7.32%

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

$82.9 MX$1,436

$107 OMR 41.32

-22.79%

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

$22.22 MX$385

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-45.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$508

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-58.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$895

$47.24 OMR 18.19

9.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$22.99 OMR 8.85

-20.31%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.8

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-51.58%

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

$201 MX$3,480

$192 OMR 74.1

4.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.3K

$9,757 OMR 3,756

-46.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$640

$50.7 OMR 19.53

-27.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$689

$39.51 OMR 15.21

0.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,360

$79.4 OMR 30.56

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,509

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-3.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.9K

$619 OMR 238

57.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,105

$410 OMR 158

13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,222 OMR 470

34.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.2K

$730 OMR 281

67.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.4K

$2,666 OMR 1,026

48.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.6K

$1,552 OMR 597

318.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,654 OMR 637

-59.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.15

121.75%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 149% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $231 per month, with Muscat 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen and Muscat differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,297 vs $1,331 including rent). Playa del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Muscat earns 149% less. 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: $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $619 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

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

All in, you'll spend $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,331 in Muscat, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Muscat 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.