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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen versus $582 in Nizwa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,181 in Playa del Carmen versus $787 in Nizwa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,065 in Playa del Carmen versus $993 in Nizwa.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 123% more expensive than Nizwa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Nizwa 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$2.54 OMR 0.98

361.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$719

$26.21 OMR 10.09

58.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$3.84 OMR 1.48

177.08%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.8

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

$1.51 MX$26.09

$0.87 OMR 0.33

73.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.27 OMR 0.10

259.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.90

$1.31 OMR 0.51

5.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.69

$1.27 OMR 0.49

48.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.29

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-7.34%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.30

$2.13 OMR 0.82

17.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$3.83 OMR 1.47

117.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.02 OMR 3.09

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$185

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.00

$2.06 OMR 0.79

26.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.18

$1.28 OMR 0.49

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.84

$1.31 OMR 0.50

45.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.88

$1.32 OMR 0.51

57.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.68

$1.05 OMR 0.41

69.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.76

$1.06 OMR 0.41

106.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.97

$0.50 OMR 0.19

108.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.60

$0.82 OMR 0.31

31.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.5

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.50

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.59

$0.59 OMR 0.23

122.03%

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

$30.3K MX$523.2K

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

$23.4K MX$404.9K

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

$82.9 MX$1,432

$130 OMR 49.97

-36.15%

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

$22.22 MX$384

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$64.1 OMR 24.68

-54.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.5

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

$201 MX$3,470

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$638

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,356

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,505

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$265 OMR 102

266.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

$204 OMR 78.6

129.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$389 OMR 150

322.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$264 OMR 102

361.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,309 OMR 504

-49.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Nizwa: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $973 in Playa del Carmen and $265 in Nizwa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nizwa pays 97% 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 Nizwa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $140 per month, with Nizwa 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 Nizwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nizwa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 123% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Nizwa earns 97% 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 $265 in Nizwa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nizwa – 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.

At $582 in Nizwa versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nizwa but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Nizwa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Nizwa 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 Nizwa 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 Nizwa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.