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 $1,330 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $232 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,336 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $386 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,341 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $540 in Umm Salal Mohammed, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 474% 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 3% lower, Umm Salal Mohammed 83% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.02 MX$221

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.25 MX$784

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.59 MX$213

Cappuccino

$4.00 MX$67.9

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

$1.42 MX$24.08

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$13.73

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 MX$29.04

$2.14 QAR 7.78

-20.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 MX$37.62

$1.55 QAR 5.62

43.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 MX$29.13

$2.71 QAR 9.85

-36.53%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

$2.62 QAR 9.53

3.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.37 MX$159

$8.15 QAR 29.66

14.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.86 MX$150

$4.80 QAR 17.46

84.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

$9.75 QAR 35.50

31.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 MX$53.0

$1.88 QAR 6.84

66.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.24

$1.48 QAR 5.37

4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.51

$1.13 QAR 4.12

90.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.35 MX$39.89

$2.32 QAR 8.44

1.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 MX$34.23

$0.86 QAR 3.13

134.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$33.67

$1.61 QAR 5.84

23.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 MX$21.09

$1.94 QAR 7.06

-36.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 MX$20.21

$0.43 QAR 1.56

176.74%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.29 QAR 44.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 QAR 5.18

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.65 MX$78.8

$5.59 QAR 20.36

-16.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 MX$9.53

$1.11 QAR 4.05

-49.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.76 MX$504

$33.43 QAR 122

-10.98%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 MX$90.2

$2.20 QAR 8.01

141.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.72 MX$63.0

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.78 MX$97.9

$5.59 QAR 20.34

3.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.27

$0.60 QAR 2.17

158.33%

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

$22.4K MX$379.1K

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

$25.6K MX$433.3K

$20.4K QAR 74.2K

25.37%

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

$89.3 MX$1,513

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

$23.30 MX$395

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.72 MX$538

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 MX$1,165

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.40 MX$498

Cinema Ticket

$5.06 MX$85.7

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,293 MX$72.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.21 MX$783

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.43 MX$753

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.5 MX$1,618

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 MX$1,568

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 MX$6,663

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 MX$33.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,037 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,627 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$747 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.6

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Last update for Umm Salal Mohammed: August 18, 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 474%, 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 $1,995 per month in Playa del Carmen and $348 in Umm Salal Mohammed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 47% 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 12% 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 $232, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.