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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,291 per month in Qairawan vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,184 per month in Qairawan vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,077 per month in Qairawan vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 2% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Qairawan and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Qairawan 6% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.67 KWD 2.66

$11.60 MX$200

-25.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 KWD 18.65

$47.11 MX$812

28.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.00 KWD 2.76

$11.88 MX$205

-24.24%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 KWD 1.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 KWD 1.05

Cappuccino

$4.85 KWD 1.49

$3.98 MX$68.6

21.86%

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

$0.56 KWD 0.17

$1.43 MX$24.60

-60.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 KWD 0.09

$0.82 MX$14.22

-63.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$55.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 KWD 0.37

$1.68 MX$28.89

-27.38%

White Bread (500g)

$0.70 KWD 0.21

$2.20 MX$37.88

-68.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 KWD 0.63

$1.71 MX$29.45

19.30%

Eggs

$1.83 KWD 0.56

$2.74 MX$47.26

-33.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.94 KWD 1.21

$9.58 MX$165

-58.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.33 KWD 1.94

$9.01 MX$155

-29.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.57 KWD 2.94

$12.81 MX$221

-25.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 KWD 0.67

$2.89 MX$49.81

-24.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$1.50 MX$25.81

24.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 KWD 0.45

$2.15 MX$37.03

-32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 KWD 0.45

$2.26 MX$38.96

-35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.98 MX$34.15

-37.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

$1.99 MX$34.30

-49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.56 KWD 0.48

$1.23 MX$21.28

26.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 KWD 0.14

$1.20 MX$20.63

-60.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.47 KWD 1.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 KWD 0.28

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 KWD 0.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KWD 0.96

$4.55 MX$78.5

-31.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.91

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.67

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KWD 0.24

$0.60 MX$10.35

30.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$497

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 KWD 0.97

$5.39 MX$92.9

-41.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.76 KWD 0.85

$3.73 MX$64.3

-26.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.70 KWD 4.51

$5.77 MX$99.5

154.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.54 MX$26.48

-76.62%

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

$23.9K KWD 7,342

$22.5K MX$388.8K

6.06%

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

$19.4K KWD 5,970

$26.1K MX$449.3K

-25.37%

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

$57.7 KWD 17.70

$91.4 MX$1,576

-36.89%

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

$21.01 KWD 6.45

$25.20 MX$435

-16.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.41 KWD 8.72

$31.24 MX$539

-9.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.8 KWD 26.33

$67.2 MX$1,159

27.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$502

Cinema Ticket

$11.35 KWD 3.48

$4.86 MX$83.8

133.54%

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

$281 KWD 86.4

$224 MX$3,856

25.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,990 KWD 2,146

$4,229 MX$72.9K

65.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.38 KWD 13.32

$47.10 MX$812

-7.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.20 KWD 11.11

$44.29 MX$764

-18.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 KWD 34.51

$80.1 MX$1,381

40.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 KWD 31.36

$92.7 MX$1,598

10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$736 KWD 226

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-30.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 KWD 185

$390 MX$6,728

54.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 KWD 606

$2,149 MX$37.1K

-8.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,421 KWD 436

$1,272 MX$21.9K

11.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

11.45

-42.97%

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

Last update for Qairawan: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $736 in Qairawan versus $1,063 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $61.0 in Qairawan versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $160 in Qairawan vs $276 in Playa del Carmen – so Qairawan 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

Qairawan vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Qairawan is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,936 per month in Qairawan and $1,899 in Playa del Carmen. 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 $1,291 in Qairawan and $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $281 per month in Qairawan and $224 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,266, than in Qairawan at $1,291. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Qairawan 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, Qairawan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.