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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,356 in Qairawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,202 in Qairawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,082 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,048 in Qairawan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 5% cheaper than Qairawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 4% below the global median, while Qairawan is 1% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.64 KWD 2.35

56.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$58.4 KWD 17.91

-26.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.46 KWD 2.60

25.18%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$5.38 KWD 1.65

-32.71%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.62 KWD 0.19

137.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.33 KWD 0.10

184.85%

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

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-0.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.06 KWD 0.33

77.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-1.81%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$1.97 KWD 0.60

34.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$4.46 KWD 1.37

84.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$6.59 KWD 2.02

25.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$9.85 KWD 3.02

12.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.27 KWD 0.70

16.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.57 KWD 0.48

26.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.40 KWD 0.43

48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.23 KWD 0.38

45.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.14 KWD 0.35

91.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-34.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.42 KWD 0.13

147.62%

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)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$2.86 KWD 0.88

38.81%

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

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$43.78 KWD 13.44

-38.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-3.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$3.26 KWD 1.00

-26.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$16.14 KWD 4.95

-80.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.36 KWD 0.11

252.78%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$20.2K KWD 6,216

52.52%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$19.4K KWD 5,949

20.33%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$63.3 KWD 19.44

29.50%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$17.95 KWD 5.51

25.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$25.75 KWD 7.91

15.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$93.5 KWD 28.69

-44.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$47.23 KWD 14.50

-60.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$11.22 KWD 3.44

-55.70%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$288 KWD 88.3

-31.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$6,052 KWD 1,858

-12.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$42.80 KWD 13.14

-15.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$43.07 KWD 13.22

-7.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$88.8 KWD 27.25

-10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$82.7 KWD 25.38

7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$782 KWD 240

23.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$605 KWD 186

-23.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$1,555 KWD 477

2.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$1,314 KWD 403

-7.97%

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

7.14

59.94%

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 Qairawan: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $782 in Qairawan. 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 $58.0 in Qairawan. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Playa del Carmen vs $168 in Qairawan – so Qairawan 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 Qairawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Qairawan is pricier by about 5%, 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 $2,033 in Qairawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,287 in Playa del Carmen and $1,356 in Qairawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,287, than in Qairawan at $1,356. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qairawan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Qairawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.