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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $823 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,371 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,918 in Wadi As Sir, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 54% more than Wadi As Sir, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Wadi As Sir are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 7% lower, Wadi As Sir 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$199

$6.99 JOD 4.95

65.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$808

$66.2 JOD 46.82

-28.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$204

$7.12 JOD 5.04

66.85%

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.2

$4.51 JOD 3.19

-11.75%

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

$1.43 MX$24.46

$0.65 JOD 0.46

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.14

$0.56 JOD 0.40

46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.7

$8.36 JOD 5.91

-61.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$116

$11.02 JOD 7.80

-38.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.72

$1.58 JOD 1.12

6.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.67

$0.68 JOD 0.48

223.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.29

$1.57 JOD 1.11

8.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$46.99

$2.39 JOD 1.69

14.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$164

$9.01 JOD 6.38

6.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$154

$6.38 JOD 4.52

41.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$220

$12.66 JOD 8.96

1.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.52

$2.46 JOD 1.74

17.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.67

$2.00 JOD 1.41

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.83

$1.90 JOD 1.34

13.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.74

$0.84 JOD 0.59

169.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$33.96

$0.92 JOD 0.65

115.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.11

$0.89 JOD 0.63

123.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.16

$0.65 JOD 0.46

89.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.52

$0.67 JOD 0.47

79.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.0

$3.77 JOD 2.67

20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$178

$20.92 JOD 14.80

-50.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.76

$5.08 JOD 3.60

-68.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.39

$5.05 JOD 3.58

-42.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.29

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$494

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.4

$0.59 JOD 0.42

813.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$63.9

$1.43 JOD 1.01

160.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$98.9

$7.03 JOD 4.97

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.34

$1.67 JOD 1.18

-7.78%

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

$22.5K MX$386.6K

$34.6K JOD 24.5K

-34.87%

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

$26.1K MX$446.7K

$35.0K JOD 24.8K

-25.64%

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

$91.4 MX$1,567

$128 JOD 90.8

-28.80%

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

$25.20 MX$432

$15.98 JOD 11.31

57.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$536

$32.53 JOD 23.02

-3.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,152

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$499

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.4

$11.44 JOD 8.09

-57.52%

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

$224 MX$3,834

$491 JOD 347

-54.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.5K

$9,347 JOD 6,615

-54.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$808

$63.1 JOD 44.64

-25.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$759

$81.8 JOD 57.9

-45.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,373

$125 JOD 88.1

-35.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,589

$88.6 JOD 62.7

4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,690

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$36.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$111.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

6.81

68.14%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Wadi As Sir: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $66.0 in Wadi As Sir. Groceries tell a different story – $276 in Playa del Carmen vs $264 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 54%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,235 in Wadi As Sir. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen and $823 in Wadi As Sir. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $491 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 $823, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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.