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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,465 in Sohar, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,123 in Sohar, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,781 in Sohar, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 13% cheaper than Sohar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Playa del Carmen sits 5% below the global median, while Sohar is 9% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$6.59 OMR 2.54

80.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$21.13 OMR 8.13

103.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$9.32 OMR 3.59

14.27%

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$6.61 OMR 2.54

-47.81%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.64 OMR 0.25

134.38%

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

$13.24 OMR 5.09

-77.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

$14.02 OMR 5.39

-67.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$2.23 OMR 0.86

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.05 OMR 0.40

76.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$3.34 OMR 1.29

-51.80%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.71 OMR 1.04

-4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$13.49 OMR 5.19

-38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$9.31 OMR 3.58

-10.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$14.08 OMR 5.42

-24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$3.37 OMR 1.30

-21.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$2.18 OMR 0.84

-31.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$2.45 OMR 0.94

-21.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.23 OMR 0.47

69.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$1.74 OMR 0.67

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.85 OMR 0.71

22.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.71 OMR 0.66

-38.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$1.00 OMR 0.38

9.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$6.10 OMR 2.35

-31.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

$25.61 OMR 9.86

-59.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

$3.80 OMR 1.46

-54.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

$8.53 OMR 3.28

-69.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$2.64 OMR 1.02

-79.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$52.3 OMR 20.14

-48.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.28 OMR 1.26

-4.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.52 OMR 0.58

65.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$10.27 OMR 3.95

-69.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.64 OMR 0.25

98.44%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$18.6K OMR 7,146

63.61%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.3K OMR 7,802

16.25%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$102 OMR 39.13

-18.36%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$28.69 OMR 11.04

-20.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$86.5 OMR 33.28

-65.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$51.8 OMR 19.93

-1.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$11.49 OMR 4.42

-57.09%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$274 OMR 106

-28.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$7,125 OMR 2,742

-25.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$52.1 OMR 20.06

-29.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$43.51 OMR 16.75

-8.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$79.6 OMR 30.65

0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$47.34 OMR 18.22

88.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$499 OMR 192

91.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$391 OMR 150

22.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$750 OMR 289

119.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$678 OMR 261

80.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$1,172 OMR 451

234.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$787 OMR 303

721.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

$2,460 OMR 947

-72.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.62

103.20%

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 Sohar: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $499 in Sohar. 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 269% higher in Sohar, 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 $21.00 in Sohar. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $347 in Sohar – so Playa del Carmen 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 Sohar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sohar is pricier by about 15%, 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 $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $2,198 in Sohar. 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 $1,465 in Sohar. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 94% 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 Sohar at $1,465. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar 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, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.