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 $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,380 in Riffa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,041 in Riffa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,702 in Riffa, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 9% cheaper than Riffa, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Playa del Carmen sits 6% below the global median, while Riffa is 3% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$6.45 BHD 2.43

85.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$45.93 BHD 17.31

-9.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$6.09 BHD 2.30

76.52%

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$2.02 BHD 0.76

73.27%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.58 BHD 0.22

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.26 BHD 0.10

238.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

$7.90 BHD 2.98

-62.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

$10.53 BHD 3.97

-57.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.37 BHD 0.52

4.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.29 BHD 0.49

42.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.38 BHD 0.90

-34.03%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.11 BHD 0.79

18.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.65 BHD 3.26

-4.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$6.88 BHD 2.59

22.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$10.06 BHD 3.79

6.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.46 BHD 0.93

6.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.87 BHD 0.71

-22.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.77 BHD 0.67

10.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.21 BHD 0.46

72.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$0.93 BHD 0.35

98.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.05 BHD 0.40

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.45 BHD 0.55

-28.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.51 BHD 0.19

109.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$6.60 BHD 2.49

-37.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

$13.40 BHD 5.05

-24.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

$3.38 BHD 1.27

-50.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$3.27 BHD 1.23

-22.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.78 BHD 0.30

-34.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$32.12 BHD 12.11

-18.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$4.52 BHD 1.70

-28.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$4.09 BHD 1.54

-41.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$26.83 BHD 10.11

-87.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.38 BHD 0.14

247.37%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$26.4K BHD 9,941

12.59%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$21.2K BHD 7,986

11.68%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$120 BHD 45.11

-31.48%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$26.98 BHD 10.17

-14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$38.52 BHD 14.52

-21.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$80.9 BHD 30.50

-35.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$7.93 BHD 2.99

-37.20%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$391 BHD 147

-49.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$6,714 BHD 2,530

-20.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$39.00 BHD 14.70

-8.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$63.7 BHD 24.01

-36.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$65.6 BHD 24.72

20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$39.27 BHD 14.80

126.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$1,173 BHD 442

-19.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$535 BHD 202

-11.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$2,105 BHD 793

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$921 BHD 347

31.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,381 BHD 520

-52.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

128.40%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Riffa: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,173 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 111% higher in Riffa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $46.00 in Riffa. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $239 in Riffa – so Riffa 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 Riffa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Riffa is pricier by about 10%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,070 in Riffa. 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen and $1,380 in Riffa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 23% 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 $1,256, than in Riffa at $1,380. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.