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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,573 in Sharjah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,253 in Sharjah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,933 in Sharjah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 19% cheaper than Sharjah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sharjah is 17% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$5.36 AED 19.70

121.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$32.97 AED 121

30.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.06 AED 33.29

17.55%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.27 AED 34.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.64 AED 35.42

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.21 AED 15.48

-18.05%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$1.01 AED 3.72

48.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.35 AED 1.28

171.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.70 AED 6.24

-18.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.19 AED 4.36

55.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.04 AED 7.50

-21.08%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.73 AED 10.04

-5.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$10.18 AED 37.38

-18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.96 AED 25.56

20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$8.46 AED 31.08

26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.83 AED 6.73

43.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.48 AED 5.42

0.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.49 AED 5.48

28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.23 AED 4.51

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.01 AED 3.71

84.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.21 AED 4.46

86.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.52 AED 5.60

-30.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.64 AED 2.35

70.31%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.76 AED 57.9

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 AED 7.06

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 AED 12.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.29 AED 23.11

-34.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.60 AED 5.88

-66.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$41.57 AED 153

-35.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.77 AED 13.84

-16.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$0.71 AED 2.59

253.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.04 AED 18.49

-37.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.82 AED 3.01

54.88%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$45.1K AED 165.5K

-32.58%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$22.1K AED 81.3K

6.42%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$200 AED 734

-58.44%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$65.9 AED 242

-65.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$103 AED 379

-71.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$62.9 AED 231

-18.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$37.58 AED 138

-51.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$12.73 AED 46.75

-61.27%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$275 AED 1,011

-28.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$6,018 AED 22.1K

-12.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$51.4 AED 189

-28.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$97.2 AED 357

-58.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$96.0 AED 353

-16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$80.4 AED 295

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$775 AED 2,845

23.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$603 AED 2,215

-20.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$1,613 AED 5,923

2.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$1,026 AED 3,768

19.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$8,277 AED 30.4K

-52.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$2,688 AED 9,872

140.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,281 AED 8,377

-70.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

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 Sharjah: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $775 in Sharjah. 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 242% higher in Sharjah, 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $33.00 in Sharjah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $250 vs $188 – making Sharjah 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 Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sharjah is pricier by about 24%, 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 $2,360 in Sharjah. 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 $1,271 in Playa del Carmen and $1,573 in Sharjah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% 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 $1,271, than in Sharjah at $1,573. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sharjah 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, Sharjah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.