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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,384 per month in Riffa vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,059 per month in Riffa vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,734 per month in Riffa vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Riffa costs about 7% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Riffa sits 3% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.50 BHD 2.45

$11.73 MX$203

-44.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.19 BHD 17.79

$41.62 MX$720

13.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.09 BHD 2.30

$10.64 MX$184

-42.76%

Cappuccino

$1.96 BHD 0.74

$3.52 MX$60.9

-44.32%

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

$0.61 BHD 0.23

$1.51 MX$26.12

-59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 BHD 0.11

$0.97 MX$16.84

-71.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.10 BHD 3.05

$2.95 MX$51.0

174.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.69 BHD 4.03

$4.45 MX$77.0

140.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 BHD 0.50

$1.38 MX$23.93

-4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BHD 0.49

$1.89 MX$32.72

-31.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 BHD 0.89

$1.64 MX$28.32

44.51%

Eggs

$2.17 BHD 0.82

$2.51 MX$43.34

-13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.94 BHD 3.37

$8.34 MX$144

7.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.94 BHD 2.62

$8.34 MX$144

-16.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.06 BHD 3.79

$10.73 MX$186

-6.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.33 BHD 0.88

$2.60 MX$45.04

-10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.85 BHD 0.70

$1.46 MX$25.20

26.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 BHD 0.67

$1.90 MX$32.87

-6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.22 BHD 0.46

$2.08 MX$35.91

-41.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 BHD 0.35

$1.78 MX$30.71

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.07 BHD 0.41

$2.19 MX$37.80

-51.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 BHD 0.54

$1.04 MX$17.99

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 BHD 0.19

$1.08 MX$18.62

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 BHD 2.49

$4.08 MX$70.6

61.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 BHD 5.02

$10.32 MX$178

28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.45 BHD 1.30

$1.71 MX$29.61

101.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 BHD 1.25

$2.58 MX$44.54

28.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 BHD 0.29

$0.51 MX$8.81

50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 BHD 12.22

$26.46 MX$458

22.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 BHD 1.71

$3.26 MX$56.4

39.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.03 BHD 1.52

$2.49 MX$43.09

61.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.04 BHD 10.19

$3.25 MX$56.2

732.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 BHD 0.14

$1.31 MX$22.61

-72.52%

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

$26.0K BHD 9,819

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-13.98%

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

$20.6K BHD 7,776

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-11.97%

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

$122 BHD 46.10

$82.9 MX$1,433

47.54%

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

$26.89 BHD 10.14

$22.22 MX$384

21.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.00 BHD 14.70

$29.34 MX$507

32.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.2 BHD 30.25

$51.6 MX$893

55.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 BHD 3.01

$5.07 MX$87.6

57.59%

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

$395 BHD 149

$201 MX$3,473

96.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,656 BHD 2,509

$5,212 MX$90.1K

27.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.40 BHD 14.86

$36.92 MX$639

6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 BHD 23.88

$39.79 MX$688

59.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 BHD 25.40

$78.5 MX$1,357

-14.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$39.72 BHD 14.98

$87.1 MX$1,506

-54.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 BHD 445

$973 MX$16.8K

21.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$531 BHD 200

$468 MX$8,090

13.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 BHD 815

$1,641 MX$28.4K

31.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$945 BHD 356

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-22.63%

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)

$1,410 BHD 532

$664 MX$11.5K

112.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

-56.22%

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

Last update for Riffa: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,179 in Riffa versus $973 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.

Salaries run about 112% higher in Riffa, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Riffa versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Riffa vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Riffa 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

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

Yes – Riffa is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,076 per month in Riffa and $1,945 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 $1,384 in Riffa and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 22% 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 $1,297, than in Riffa at $1,384. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Riffa 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, Riffa makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.