Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,228 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,143 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Sabah Al Salem are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Sabah Al Salem 2% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.56 KWD 2.32

55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$58.7 KWD 18.00

-29.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$8.59 KWD 2.63

23.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 KWD 1.09

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$5.34 KWD 1.64

-34.08%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.62 KWD 0.19

143.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 KWD 0.10

185.29%

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$23.93

$1.43 KWD 0.44

-3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.05 KWD 0.32

80.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-0.61%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.04 KWD 0.62

23.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$4.58 KWD 1.40

82.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.68 KWD 2.05

24.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$9.91 KWD 3.04

8.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.35 KWD 0.72

10.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.56 KWD 0.48

21.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.43 KWD 0.44

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.23 KWD 0.38

44.72%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.10 KWD 0.34

99.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.46 KWD 0.14

134.78%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$2.86 KWD 0.88

42.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$44.87 KWD 13.76

-41.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.18 KWD 0.97

2.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$3.16 KWD 0.97

-21.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$16.57 KWD 5.08

-80.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.36 KWD 0.11

263.89%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$20.5K KWD 6,280

47.87%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$18.9K KWD 5,794

24.03%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$63.6 KWD 19.50

30.32%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$18.43 KWD 5.65

20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$26.24 KWD 8.05

11.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$95.5 KWD 29.30

-45.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$46.83 KWD 14.36

-60.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.29 KWD 3.46

-55.09%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$278 KWD 85.4

-27.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,070 KWD 1,862

-14.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$42.73 KWD 13.11

-13.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$42.21 KWD 12.95

-5.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$87.9 KWD 26.96

-10.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$81.8 KWD 25.07

6.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$808 KWD 248

20.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$611 KWD 188

-23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$1,586 KWD 486

3.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$1,309 KWD 402

-6.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$2,958 KWD 907

-77.55%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $808 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 345% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $59.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $170 in Sabah Al Salem – so Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 1%, 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 $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,968 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,312 in Sabah Al Salem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% 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 $1,297, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,312. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem 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, Sabah Al Salem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.