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 $960 per month in Saham vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,432 per month in Saham vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,904 per month in Saham vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Saham is about 26% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Saham and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Saham 30% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.32 OMR 2.05

$11.71 MX$198

-54.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.16 OMR 12.77

$46.59 MX$788

-28.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.96 OMR 3.07

$11.65 MX$197

-31.67%

Cappuccino

$4.90 OMR 1.89

$4.09 MX$69.2

19.80%

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

$0.85 OMR 0.33

$1.37 MX$23.23

-37.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 OMR 0.11

$0.83 MX$14.09

-65.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$12.87 OMR 4.95

$3.35 MX$56.7

284.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.25 OMR 5.10

$6.91 MX$117

91.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 OMR 0.87

$1.73 MX$29.20

30.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$2.26 MX$38.21

-45.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$1.77 MX$29.91

7.91%

Eggs

$2.84 OMR 1.09

$2.73 MX$46.19

4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 OMR 2.91

$9.18 MX$155

-17.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.71 OMR 2.58

$8.92 MX$151

-24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.72 OMR 4.13

$12.60 MX$213

-14.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 OMR 1.36

$3.02 MX$51.1

16.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$1.57 MX$26.55

21.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 OMR 0.89

$2.13 MX$35.93

7.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 OMR 0.48

$2.26 MX$38.28

-45.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 OMR 0.46

$2.00 MX$33.88

-40.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$2.06 MX$34.90

-37.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 OMR 0.71

$1.18 MX$19.94

55.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 OMR 0.24

$1.20 MX$20.35

-48.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.60 OMR 2.54

$4.63 MX$78.4

42.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.65 OMR 6.03

$10.69 MX$181

46.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.56 OMR 2.14

$1.62 MX$27.38

243.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.69 OMR 3.34

$2.88 MX$48.70

201.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 OMR 1.24

$5.45 MX$92.1

-41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 OMR 0.97

$3.70 MX$62.6

-31.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.76 OMR 2.99

$5.98 MX$101

29.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.55 MX$26.26

-61.94%

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

$25.9K OMR 9,975

$22.3K MX$377.4K

16.05%

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

$22.3K OMR 8,593

$25.9K MX$438.7K

-13.99%

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

$170 OMR 65.4

$89.1 MX$1,507

90.58%

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

$31.30 OMR 12.05

$25.04 MX$423

25.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.5 OMR 27.53

$31.50 MX$532

126.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

Cinema Ticket

$10.29 OMR 3.96

$5.05 MX$85.4

103.76%

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

$286 OMR 110

$225 MX$3,803

27.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K OMR 4,025

$4,222 MX$71.4K

147.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 OMR 22.07

$47.44 MX$802

20.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.21 OMR 16.64

$44.98 MX$760

-3.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 OMR 35.25

$82.0 MX$1,386

11.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.1 OMR 36.21

$92.1 MX$1,557

2.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.45

-54.15%

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

Last update for Saham: August 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Saham versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in Saham vs $277 in Playa del Carmen – so Playa del Carmen 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,440 per month in Saham and $1,940 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 $960 in Saham and $1,293 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $286 per month in Saham and $225 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 $960, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.