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 $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,115 in Salalah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,669 in Salalah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,224 in Salalah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 14% more than Salalah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Playa del Carmen and Salalah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Salalah 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.12 OMR 1.97

131.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$26.37 OMR 10.15

62.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$13.06 OMR 5.03

-18.45%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$5.97 OMR 2.30

-42.21%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.67 OMR 0.26

123.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.27 OMR 0.10

251.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

$9.35 OMR 3.60

-67.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$10.46 OMR 4.03

-55.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.77 OMR 0.68

-22.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.27 OMR 0.49

45.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.05 OMR 0.79

-21.46%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$1.91 OMR 0.73

35.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$6.99 OMR 2.69

18.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.74 OMR 1.82

76.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.84 OMR 3.40

20.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.05 OMR 0.79

28.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.06 OMR 0.41

40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.60 OMR 0.61

20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.15 OMR 0.44

81.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.08 OMR 0.41

72.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.84 OMR 0.32

169.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$0.51 OMR 0.20

107.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.57 OMR 0.22

91.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.91 OMR 2.28

-29.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$19.71 OMR 7.59

-47.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.85 OMR 1.48

-55.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$4.58 OMR 1.76

-43.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.28 OMR 0.49

-57.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$55.2 OMR 21.26

-51.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.33 OMR 0.90

34.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.33 OMR 0.51

88.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$11.48 OMR 4.42

-72.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.59 OMR 0.23

115.25%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$20.7K OMR 7,986

46.38%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$18.0K OMR 6,941

30.69%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$65.3 OMR 25.14

27.09%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$48.94 OMR 18.84

-53.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$75.8 OMR 29.19

-61.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$94.7 OMR 36.43

-46.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$25.78 OMR 9.92

-28.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$7.75 OMR 2.98

-36.39%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$111 OMR 42.81

77.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$2,414 OMR 929

118.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$28.00 OMR 10.78

31.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$30.70 OMR 11.82

29.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$62.7 OMR 24.11

27.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$43.93 OMR 16.91

103.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$255 OMR 98.3

274.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$211 OMR 81.3

125.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$501 OMR 193

228.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$380 OMR 146

222.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,052 OMR 790

90.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,219 OMR 469

429.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$1,800 OMR 693

-62.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.58

149.34%

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 Salalah: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $255 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 170% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $26.00 in Salalah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $228 – 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 14%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. 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 $1,672 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,115 in Salalah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Salalah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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.