Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Wadi As Sir Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Wadi As Sir

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $758 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,231 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,704 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 71% more than Wadi As Sir, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wadi As Sir are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Wadi As Sir 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.97 JOD 4.93

68.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$49.11 JOD 34.76

-15.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.08 JOD 5.01

50.28%

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.22 JOD 2.98

-16.59%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.52 JOD 0.37

190.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.34 JOD 0.24

185.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

$5.71 JOD 4.04

-48.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

$7.01 JOD 4.96

-36.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.42 JOD 1.00

-2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.56 JOD 0.39

237.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$1.71 JOD 1.21

-4.09%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.53 JOD 1.79

-0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.71 JOD 4.75

24.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.70 JOD 4.74

24.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$11.25 JOD 7.96

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.00 JOD 1.41

30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.69 JOD 1.20

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.43 JOD 1.01

32.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$0.75 JOD 0.53

177.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.94 JOD 0.67

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$0.74 JOD 0.53

195.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$0.61 JOD 0.43

70.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.64 JOD 0.45

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$3.58 JOD 2.54

13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

$21.52 JOD 15.23

-52.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

$4.67 JOD 3.30

-63.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

$5.49 JOD 3.89

-53.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$0.69 JOD 0.49

372.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.45 JOD 1.02

71.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$7.11 JOD 5.03

-54.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$1.40 JOD 0.99

-6.43%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$27.6K JOD 19.5K

9.83%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$31.9K JOD 22.6K

-26.49%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$103 JOD 73.0

-19.70%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$17.01 JOD 12.04

30.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$31.39 JOD 22.21

-6.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$21.08 JOD 14.92

144.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$11.19 JOD 7.92

-54.69%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$277 JOD 196

-27.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$5,306 JOD 3,755

-1.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$61.1 JOD 43.25

-39.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$57.5 JOD 40.67

-30.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$116 JOD 81.8

-32.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$80.9 JOD 57.2

7.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$277 JOD 196

250.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$630 JOD 446

160.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

7.27

57.08%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Wadi As Sir: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $277 in Wadi As Sir. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $49.00 in Wadi As Sir. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $245 in Wadi As Sir – so Wadi As Sir 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 Wadi As Sir: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,137 in Wadi As Sir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wadi As Sir, 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $758 in Wadi As Sir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $277 in Wadi As Sir. 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 Wadi As Sir, where all-in costs run around $758, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Wadi As Sir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wadi As Sir – 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 Wadi As Sir. 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.