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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,318 in Qairawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,231 in Qairawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,144 in Qairawan, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Qairawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Qairawan are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Qairawan 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.61 KWD 2.34

55.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$58.5 KWD 17.97

-26.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.36 KWD 2.57

27.39%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.43 KWD 1.67

-36.46%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.64 KWD 0.20

134.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.34 KWD 0.10

179.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.48 KWD 0.46

-6.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.10 KWD 0.34

68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-6.94%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.95 KWD 0.60

32.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$4.37 KWD 1.34

89.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.33 KWD 1.94

32.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.82 KWD 3.02

8.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.26 KWD 0.69

16.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-10.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.58 KWD 0.49

21.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.37 KWD 0.42

52.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.26 KWD 0.39

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.14 KWD 0.35

98.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.68 KWD 0.51

-36.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.46 KWD 0.14

136.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$2.96 KWD 0.91

40.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$0.82 KWD 0.25

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$43.36 KWD 13.32

-37.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.25 KWD 1.00

-3.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$3.18 KWD 0.98

-21.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$16.48 KWD 5.06

-80.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.34 KWD 0.10

273.53%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.7K KWD 6,345

47.05%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$19.4K KWD 5,949

21.70%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$63.1 KWD 19.39

31.47%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$18.05 KWD 5.54

25.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$26.16 KWD 8.04

12.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$95.1 KWD 29.21

-46.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$46.70 KWD 14.35

-60.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.46 KWD 3.52

-56.98%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$285 KWD 87.5

-30.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,006 KWD 1,845

-12.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$41.33 KWD 12.70

-10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$42.57 KWD 13.08

-6.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$87.2 KWD 26.77

-8.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$81.9 KWD 25.16

9.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$788 KWD 242

21.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$619 KWD 190

-22.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,571 KWD 483

4.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,279 KWD 393

-4.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Qairawan: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $788 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 $59.0 in Qairawan. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $167 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 4%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,977 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,318 in Qairawan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 61% 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 $1,271, than in Qairawan at $1,318. 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.