Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Umm Salal Mohammed Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Umm Salal Mohammed

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $233 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $390 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $546 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 446% more than Umm Salal Mohammed, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Umm Salal Mohammed are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

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

$2.23 QAR 8.13

-38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$1.48 QAR 5.39

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.62 QAR 9.53

-38.55%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.70 QAR 9.83

-4.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.16 QAR 29.71

1.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$4.93 QAR 17.93

69.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$9.45 QAR 34.39

12.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$1.89 QAR 6.87

39.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.49 QAR 5.43

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.11 QAR 4.06

72.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$2.31 QAR 8.42

-9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.79 QAR 2.87

135.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$1.62 QAR 5.90

39.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.90 QAR 6.92

-44.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.43 QAR 1.55

153.49%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.60 QAR 45.87

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 QAR 5.32

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$5.86 QAR 21.33

-29.18%

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

$1.12 QAR 4.08

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$32.88 QAR 120

-18.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$2.19 QAR 7.96

42.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$5.85 QAR 21.30

-46.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.60 QAR 2.19

111.67%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$20.5K QAR 74.6K

15.04%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

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

$22.71 MX$390

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

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

$197 MX$3,386

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

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 Umm Salal Mohammed: June 8, 2026

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 Umm Salal Mohammed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 446%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $349 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

Public transport costs about 22% less in Umm Salal Mohammed. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Umm Salal Mohammed, where all-in costs run around $233, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Umm Salal Mohammed it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Umm Salal Mohammed – 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 Umm Salal Mohammed. 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.