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 $1,342 per month in Qairawan vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,244 per month in Qairawan vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,146 per month in Qairawan vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Qairawan sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.98 KWD 2.46

$11.72 MX$203

-31.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 KWD 18.15

$41.89 MX$725

40.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 KWD 2.71

$10.51 MX$182

-16.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 KWD 1.06

Cappuccino

$5.27 KWD 1.62

$3.59 MX$62.0

46.80%

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

$0.64 KWD 0.20

$1.51 MX$26.10

-57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$0.92 MX$15.83

-63.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$1.40 MX$24.16

2.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.88 MX$32.60

-43.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.72 KWD 0.53

$1.56 MX$26.97

10.26%

Eggs

$1.98 KWD 0.61

$2.61 MX$45.14

-24.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.60 KWD 1.42

$8.32 MX$144

-44.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KWD 1.95

$8.35 MX$145

-23.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.83 KWD 3.02

$10.86 MX$188

-9.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 KWD 0.71

$2.71 MX$46.93

-15.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

$1.51 MX$26.04

5.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$1.87 MX$32.41

-19.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 KWD 0.44

$2.19 MX$37.89

-35.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 KWD 0.40

$1.86 MX$32.14

-30.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 KWD 0.34

$2.23 MX$38.59

-51.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 KWD 0.51

$1.07 MX$18.48

56.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 KWD 0.14

$1.09 MX$18.79

-57.80%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.58 KWD 1.10

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 KWD 0.93

$4.19 MX$72.4

-27.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.82 KWD 0.25

$0.54 MX$9.37

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.08 KWD 13.56

$26.16 MX$453

68.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 KWD 1.03

$3.08 MX$53.3

8.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

$2.40 MX$41.61

32.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.13 KWD 4.96

$3.13 MX$54.1

415.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.31 MX$22.69

-74.81%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,208

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-32.29%

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

$19.2K KWD 5,907

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-17.66%

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

$63.3 KWD 19.47

$81.3 MX$1,406

-22.15%

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

$18.05 KWD 5.55

$22.56 MX$390

-19.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.83 KWD 7.95

$30.05 MX$520

-14.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.7 KWD 29.12

$52.9 MX$915

78.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.63 KWD 14.04

$18.39 MX$318

148.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.23 KWD 3.46

$4.92 MX$85.1

128.25%

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

$286 KWD 88.0

$201 MX$3,474

42.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,031 KWD 1,855

$5,175 MX$89.5K

16.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.22 KWD 12.99

$35.92 MX$622

17.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.23 KWD 13.30

$40.13 MX$694

7.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 KWD 27.33

$79.7 MX$1,379

11.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.1 KWD 25.24

$86.5 MX$1,496

-5.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$792 KWD 243

$978 MX$16.9K

-19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$598 KWD 184

$470 MX$8,140

27.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,557 KWD 479

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-5.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 KWD 393

$1,203 MX$20.8K

6.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

11.42

-37.48%

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

Last update for Qairawan: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $792 in Qairawan versus $978 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 $59.0 in Qairawan versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $167 in Qairawan vs $252 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 7%, 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 $2,013 per month in Qairawan and $1,890 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 $1,342 in Qairawan and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 69% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,260, than in Qairawan at $1,342. 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.