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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,020 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,554 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,088 in Salalah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 30% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salalah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Salalah 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

$5.16 OMR 1.99

152.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

$26.03 OMR 10.02

77.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

$12.81 OMR 4.93

-1.72%

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

$6.29 OMR 2.42

-36.41%

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

$0.91 OMR 0.35

56.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

$0.25 OMR 0.10

224.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

$8.87 OMR 3.42

-65.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

$10.54 OMR 4.06

-35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$1.94 OMR 0.75

-11.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.27 OMR 0.49

74.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.63 OMR 1.01

-34.60%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$4.73 OMR 1.82

98.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.57 OMR 1.76

93.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.90 OMR 0.73

64.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.86 OMR 0.72

-16.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$2.13 OMR 0.82

0.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$1.83 OMR 0.71

28.42%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$1.47 OMR 0.57

37.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.01 OMR 0.39

97.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.05 OMR 0.40

18.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.52 OMR 0.20

128.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$6.04 OMR 2.33

-23.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

$19.53 OMR 7.52

-46.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

$3.80 OMR 1.46

-58.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

$4.79 OMR 1.84

-39.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.29 OMR 0.50

-56.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$55.3 OMR 21.30

-46.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.24 OMR 0.86

137.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

$1.27 OMR 0.49

192.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$11.57 OMR 4.46

-50.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.64 OMR 0.25

142.19%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

$21.0K OMR 8,070

6.72%

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$18.2K OMR 7,010

40.45%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

$77.1 OMR 29.68

15.81%

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

$23.30 MX$395

$49.81 OMR 19.18

-53.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

$75.4 OMR 29.02

-57.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

$40.20 OMR 15.48

71.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

$25.60 OMR 9.86

14.84%

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

$7.75 OMR 2.98

-34.71%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

$1,966 OMR 757

118.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

$28.11 OMR 10.82

64.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

$31.70 OMR 12.21

40.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

$58.9 OMR 22.66

62.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

$45.37 OMR 17.47

103.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$251 OMR 96.5

326.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

$207 OMR 79.8

89.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

$629 OMR 242

215.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

$386 OMR 149

238.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

$1,983 OMR 763

103.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

$1,222 OMR 471

442.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

$1,792 OMR 690

-58.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

4.58

153.28%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Salalah: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $251 in Salalah. 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 140% higher in Salalah, 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Salalah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $203 – making Salalah 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 Salalah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 30%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,529 in Salalah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salalah, 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 $1,330 in Playa del Carmen and $1,020 in Salalah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen and $26.00 in Salalah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,020, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. In Salalah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salalah – 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 Salalah. 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.