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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,203 in Riffa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,881 in Riffa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,559 in Riffa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Riffa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Riffa are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Riffa 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.58 BHD 2.48

77.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$787

$39.11 BHD 14.74

19.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$6.01 BHD 2.27

93.84%

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.89 BHD 1.47

5.14%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.67 BHD 0.25

104.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.26 BHD 0.10

219.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

$6.73 BHD 2.54

-50.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

$7.73 BHD 2.91

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.19

$1.41 BHD 0.53

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.20

$0.68 BHD 0.26

232.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.90

$1.84 BHD 0.69

-3.80%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.18

$2.20 BHD 0.83

24.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$8.14 BHD 3.07

12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$6.02 BHD 2.27

48.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$8.64 BHD 3.26

45.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.36 BHD 0.89

27.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.54

$1.68 BHD 0.63

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.92

$1.91 BHD 0.72

11.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.27

$1.03 BHD 0.39

119.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.87

$1.06 BHD 0.40

88.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.89

$0.64 BHD 0.24

221.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$0.55 BHD 0.21

114.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.51 BHD 0.19

135.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.3

$5.34 BHD 2.01

-13.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

$13.32 BHD 5.02

-19.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.37

$1.89 BHD 0.71

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.69

$2.60 BHD 0.98

10.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$0.82 BHD 0.31

-30.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$36.36 BHD 13.71

-17.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$5.25 BHD 1.98

3.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$3.50 BHD 1.32

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$10.52 BHD 3.97

-43.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.25

$0.46 BHD 0.17

236.96%

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

$22.3K MX$377.3K

$23.0K BHD 8,667

-2.88%

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

$25.9K MX$438.5K

$20.2K BHD 7,633

28.17%

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

$89.1 MX$1,506

$132 BHD 49.87

-32.62%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$24.51 BHD 9.24

2.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$35.27 BHD 13.30

-10.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,145

$71.8 BHD 27.06

-5.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$13.16 BHD 4.96

119.76%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.3

$10.40 BHD 3.92

-51.44%

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

$225 MX$3,802

$498 BHD 188

-54.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$5,673 BHD 2,139

-25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$29.70 BHD 11.20

59.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$21.27 BHD 8.02

111.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$66.6 BHD 25.09

23.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,556

$40.22 BHD 15.16

129.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$894 BHD 337

19.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,850

$431 BHD 162

-5.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$1,544 BHD 582

25.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$872 BHD 329

49.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$1,379 BHD 520

-45.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.5

108.18%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Riffa: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $894 in Riffa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 84% higher in Riffa, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Riffa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $206 – making Riffa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,805 in Riffa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Riffa, 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 $1,293 in Playa del Carmen and $1,203 in Riffa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Riffa. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Riffa, where all-in costs run around $1,203, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Riffa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Riffa – 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 Riffa. 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.