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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,305 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,360 in Shaab, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,273 in Shaab, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,362 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $3,186 in Shaab, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 4% cheaper than Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Shaab are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Shaab 1% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.96 MX$203

$13.13 KWD 4.03

-8.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.38 MX$804

$65.1 KWD 19.96

-27.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.75 MX$199

$8.65 KWD 2.65

35.84%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$4.12 MX$70.0

$5.40 KWD 1.65

-23.70%

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

$1.40 MX$23.74

$0.70 KWD 0.21

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 MX$15.48

$0.34 KWD 0.11

167.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.44

$1.66 KWD 0.51

1.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 MX$36.48

$1.52 KWD 0.47

41.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.10

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-9.69%

Eggs

$2.82 MX$47.76

$2.06 KWD 0.63

36.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.20 MX$156

$4.47 KWD 1.37

105.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 MX$157

$6.58 KWD 2.02

40.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.64 MX$214

$10.40 KWD 3.19

21.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.1

$2.45 KWD 0.75

20.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 MX$26.79

$1.85 KWD 0.57

-14.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 MX$37.70

$1.82 KWD 0.56

21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.36 MX$40.09

$1.50 KWD 0.46

57.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.81

$1.39 KWD 0.43

43.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.58

$1.48 KWD 0.45

33.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.04

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-45.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 MX$20.55

$0.54 KWD 0.17

124.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.60 MX$78.1

$2.82 KWD 0.86

63.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.22

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.70 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 MX$88.8

$4.81 KWD 1.47

8.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.65 MX$61.9

$3.17 KWD 0.97

15.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$98.1

$16.44 KWD 5.04

-64.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.09

$0.33 KWD 0.10

366.67%

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

$22.8K MX$386.8K

$21.1K KWD 6,484

7.81%

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

$25.8K MX$437.9K

$20.4K KWD 6,249

26.64%

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

$90.7 MX$1,538

$65.7 KWD 20.16

37.92%

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

$25.19 MX$427

$22.73 KWD 6.97

10.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.75 MX$539

$30.56 KWD 9.37

3.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,167

$96.2 KWD 29.49

-28.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$82.5

$11.43 KWD 3.50

-57.48%

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

$226 MX$3,828

$304 KWD 93.1

-25.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,194 MX$71.1K

$9,545 KWD 2,927

-56.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.38 MX$804

$38.16 KWD 11.70

24.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.45 MX$737

$40.02 KWD 12.27

8.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 MX$1,361

$100.0 KWD 30.65

-19.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 MX$1,550

$88.1 KWD 27.00

3.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,086 MX$18.4K

$720 KWD 221

50.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 MX$6,933

$590 KWD 181

-30.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 MX$33.5K

$1,750 KWD 536

12.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 MX$21.7K

$1,326 KWD 407

-3.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,046 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,704 MX$113.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

$3,181 KWD 975

-75.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.53

75.34%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Last update for Shaab: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,086 in Playa del Carmen versus $720 in Shaab. 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 311% higher in Shaab, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $65.0 in Shaab. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Playa del Carmen vs $186 in Shaab – so Shaab 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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shaab is pricier by about 4%, 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 $1,958 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,040 in Shaab. 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 $1,305 in Playa del Carmen and $1,360 in Shaab. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $226 per month in Playa del Carmen and $304 in Shaab. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Shaab at $1,360. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab 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, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.