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 $1,356 per month in Qairawan vs $1,287 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,202 per month in Qairawan vs $2,184 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,048 per month in Qairawan vs $3,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Qairawan costs about 5% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Qairawan sits 1% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.64 KWD 2.35

$11.94 MX$209

-36.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.4 KWD 17.91

$42.75 MX$748

36.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 KWD 2.60

$10.59 MX$185

-20.11%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$5.38 KWD 1.65

$3.62 MX$63.4

48.62%

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

$0.62 KWD 0.19

$1.47 MX$25.69

-57.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$0.94 MX$16.51

-64.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.43 MX$24.94

0.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 KWD 0.33

$1.88 MX$32.97

-43.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.63 MX$28.50

1.84%

Eggs

$1.97 KWD 0.60

$2.64 MX$46.26

-25.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.46 KWD 1.37

$8.21 MX$144

-45.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KWD 2.02

$8.29 MX$145

-20.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.85 KWD 3.02

$11.10 MX$194

-11.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 KWD 0.70

$2.65 MX$46.40

-14.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$1.50 MX$26.26

12.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 KWD 0.48

$1.99 MX$34.79

-21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

$2.08 MX$36.33

-32.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.79 MX$31.29

-31.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.14 KWD 0.35

$2.18 MX$38.09

-47.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 KWD 0.51

$1.08 MX$18.84

53.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 KWD 0.13

$1.04 MX$18.15

-59.62%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.86 KWD 0.88

$3.97 MX$69.5

-27.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$0.52 MX$9.07

69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.78 KWD 13.44

$26.97 MX$472

62.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$3.14 MX$55.0

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$2.40 MX$42.04

35.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 KWD 4.95

$3.09 MX$54.0

422.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.27 MX$22.28

-71.65%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,216

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-34.44%

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

$19.4K KWD 5,949

$23.3K MX$408.0K

-16.89%

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

$63.3 KWD 19.44

$82.0 MX$1,435

-22.78%

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

$17.95 KWD 5.51

$22.45 MX$393

-20.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.75 KWD 7.91

$29.66 MX$519

-13.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.5 KWD 28.69

$51.9 MX$908

80.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.23 KWD 14.50

$18.67 MX$327

152.97%

Cinema Ticket

$11.22 KWD 3.44

$4.97 MX$87.0

125.75%

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

$288 KWD 88.3

$198 MX$3,462

45.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,052 KWD 1,858

$5,273 MX$92.3K

14.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.80 KWD 13.14

$36.34 MX$636

17.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.07 KWD 13.22

$40.05 MX$701

7.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.8 KWD 27.25

$79.9 MX$1,398

11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.7 KWD 25.38

$88.9 MX$1,555

-6.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$782 KWD 240

$963 MX$16.9K

-18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 186

$465 MX$8,133

30.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,555 KWD 477

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-2.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,314 KWD 403

$1,209 MX$21.2K

8.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $782 in Qairawan versus $963 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 $58.0 in Qairawan versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Qairawan vs $251 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 5%, 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 $2,033 per month in Qairawan and $1,930 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 $1,356 in Qairawan and $1,287 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 62% 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 $1,287, than in Qairawan at $1,356. 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.