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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,115 per month in Salalah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,669 per month in Salalah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,224 per month in Salalah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salalah is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Salalah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 17% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.12 OMR 1.97

$11.87 MX$204

-56.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.37 OMR 10.15

$42.90 MX$736

-38.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.06 OMR 5.03

$10.65 MX$183

22.63%

Cappuccino

$5.97 OMR 2.30

$3.45 MX$59.2

73.04%

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

$0.67 OMR 0.26

$1.50 MX$25.81

-55.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.95 MX$16.28

-71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.35 OMR 3.60

$3.03 MX$51.9

208.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.46 OMR 4.03

$4.61 MX$79.1

126.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 OMR 0.68

$1.38 MX$23.61

28.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$1.85 MX$31.70

-31.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$1.61 MX$27.65

27.33%

Eggs

$1.91 OMR 0.73

$2.59 MX$44.51

-26.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.99 OMR 2.69

$8.26 MX$142

-15.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.74 OMR 1.82

$8.37 MX$144

-43.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.84 OMR 3.40

$10.66 MX$183

-17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 OMR 0.79

$2.63 MX$45.12

-22.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 OMR 0.41

$1.49 MX$25.53

-28.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 OMR 0.61

$1.92 MX$32.94

-16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 OMR 0.44

$2.09 MX$35.81

-44.98%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 OMR 0.41

$1.86 MX$31.88

-41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.84 OMR 0.32

$2.26 MX$38.81

-62.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 OMR 0.20

$1.06 MX$18.23

-51.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 OMR 0.22

$1.09 MX$18.67

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.91 OMR 2.28

$4.15 MX$71.2

42.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.71 OMR 7.59

$10.39 MX$178

89.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 OMR 1.48

$1.72 MX$29.59

123.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 OMR 1.76

$2.61 MX$44.85

75.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 OMR 0.49

$0.54 MX$9.30

137.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.2 OMR 21.26

$26.94 MX$462

105.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.33 OMR 0.90

$3.13 MX$53.7

-25.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 OMR 0.51

$2.51 MX$43.09

-47.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.48 OMR 4.42

$3.15 MX$54.1

264.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 OMR 0.23

$1.27 MX$21.88

-53.54%

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

$20.7K OMR 7,986

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-31.69%

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

$18.0K OMR 6,941

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-23.48%

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

$65.3 OMR 25.14

$83.0 MX$1,425

-21.31%

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

$48.94 OMR 18.84

$22.71 MX$390

115.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 OMR 29.19

$29.46 MX$506

157.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.7 OMR 36.43

$51.0 MX$875

85.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 OMR 9.92

$18.33 MX$315

40.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$4.93 MX$84.5

57.20%

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

$111 OMR 42.81

$197 MX$3,386

-43.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,414 OMR 929

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-54.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.00 OMR 10.78

$36.90 MX$633

-24.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 OMR 11.82

$39.89 MX$685

-23.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 OMR 24.11

$80.0 MX$1,373

-21.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.93 OMR 16.91

$89.5 MX$1,536

-50.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$255 OMR 98.3

$956 MX$16.4K

-73.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 OMR 81.3

$477 MX$8,189

-55.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 OMR 193

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-69.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 OMR 146

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-68.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,052 OMR 790

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-47.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,219 OMR 469

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-81.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,800 OMR 693

$667 MX$11.4K

169.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

11.42

-59.89%

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

Last update for Salalah: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $255 in Salalah versus $956 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 170% higher in Salalah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $250 – making Salalah 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 14%, 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 $1,672 per month in Salalah and $1,906 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 Salalah, 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 $1,115 in Salalah and $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 105% less in Salalah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,115, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Salalah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Salalah – 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 Salalah. 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.