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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $817 per month in Saham vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,208 per month in Saham vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,598 per month in Saham vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saham is about 37% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Saham and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saham 39% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.14 OMR 1.98

$11.73 MX$203

-56.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.89 OMR 9.97

$41.62 MX$719

-37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 OMR 3.08

$10.64 MX$184

-24.72%

Cappuccino

$4.79 OMR 1.84

$3.52 MX$60.8

36.08%

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

$1.02 OMR 0.39

$1.51 MX$26.09

-32.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 OMR 0.12

$0.97 MX$16.82

-67.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.45 OMR 4.79

$2.95 MX$51.0

322.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.67 OMR 4.49

$4.45 MX$77.0

162.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 OMR 0.74

$1.38 MX$23.90

39.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.18 OMR 0.45

$1.89 MX$32.69

-37.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 OMR 0.64

$1.64 MX$28.29

1.83%

Eggs

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$2.51 MX$43.30

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.68 OMR 1.42

$8.34 MX$144

-55.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 OMR 1.91

$8.34 MX$144

-40.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.41 OMR 3.24

$10.73 MX$185

-21.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 OMR 1.00

$2.60 MX$45.00

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.46 MX$25.18

17.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.90 MX$32.84

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 OMR 0.44

$2.08 MX$35.88

-45.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 OMR 0.37

$1.78 MX$30.68

-46.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$2.19 MX$37.76

-55.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 OMR 0.42

$1.04 MX$17.97

4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 OMR 0.22

$1.08 MX$18.60

-48.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.48 OMR 2.50

$4.08 MX$70.5

58.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.43 OMR 5.94

$10.32 MX$178

49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.20 OMR 1.62

$1.71 MX$29.59

145.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.98 OMR 3.07

$2.58 MX$44.50

209.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$457

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 OMR 1.22

$3.26 MX$56.4

-2.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.82 OMR 0.31

$2.49 MX$43.05

-67.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.30 OMR 3.96

$3.25 MX$56.1

216.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 OMR 0.23

$1.31 MX$22.59

-54.20%

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

$23.2K OMR 8,926

$30.3K MX$523.2K

-23.44%

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

$21.3K OMR 8,198

$23.4K MX$404.9K

-9.12%

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

$106 OMR 40.72

$82.9 MX$1,432

27.63%

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

$40.95 OMR 15.76

$22.22 MX$384

84.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 OMR 27.13

$29.34 MX$507

140.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$892

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

Cinema Ticket

$10.34 OMR 3.98

$5.07 MX$87.5

103.94%

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

$193 OMR 74.2

$201 MX$3,470

-3.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K OMR 3,865

$5,212 MX$90.1K

92.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 OMR 19.59

$36.92 MX$638

37.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.91 OMR 14.98

$39.79 MX$688

-2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 OMR 30.97

$78.5 MX$1,356

2.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 OMR 34.40

$87.1 MX$1,505

2.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,082

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.15

11.42

-54.90%

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

Last update for Saham: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Saham versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $249 – making Saham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 59%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,226 per month in Saham and $1,945 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $817 in Saham and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $193 per month in Saham and $201 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Saham, where all-in costs run around $817, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Saham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Saham – 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 Saham. 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.