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 $1,020 per month in Salalah vs $1,330 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,554 per month in Salalah vs $2,336 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,088 per month in Salalah vs $3,341 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Salalah is about 23% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Salalah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Salalah 26% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.16 OMR 1.99

$13.02 MX$221

-60.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.03 OMR 10.02

$46.25 MX$784

-43.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 OMR 4.93

$12.59 MX$213

1.75%

Cappuccino

$6.29 OMR 2.42

$4.00 MX$67.9

57.25%

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

$0.91 OMR 0.35

$1.42 MX$24.08

-35.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 OMR 0.10

$0.81 MX$13.73

-69.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.87 OMR 3.42

$3.05 MX$51.7

190.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.54 OMR 4.06

$6.82 MX$116

54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 OMR 0.75

$1.71 MX$29.04

13.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$2.22 MX$37.62

-42.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 OMR 1.01

$1.72 MX$29.13

52.91%

Eggs

$2.71 MX$45.99

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.73 OMR 1.82

$9.37 MX$159

-49.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.57 OMR 1.76

$8.86 MX$150

-48.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 MX$217

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 OMR 0.73

$3.13 MX$53.0

-39.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 OMR 0.72

$1.55 MX$26.24

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 OMR 0.82

$2.15 MX$36.51

-0.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 OMR 0.71

$2.35 MX$39.89

-22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 OMR 0.57

$2.02 MX$34.23

-27.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 OMR 0.39

$1.99 MX$33.67

-49.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$1.24 MX$21.09

-15.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 OMR 0.20

$1.19 MX$20.21

-56.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 OMR 2.33

$4.65 MX$78.8

29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.53 OMR 7.52

$10.47 MX$177

86.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 OMR 1.46

$1.58 MX$26.82

140.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 OMR 1.84

$2.92 MX$49.48

64.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 OMR 0.50

$0.56 MX$9.53

130.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.3 OMR 21.30

$29.76 MX$504

85.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 OMR 0.86

$5.32 MX$90.2

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 OMR 0.49

$3.72 MX$63.0

-65.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.57 OMR 4.46

$5.78 MX$97.9

100.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.55 MX$26.27

-58.71%

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

$21.0K OMR 8,070

$22.4K MX$379.1K

-6.30%

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

$18.2K OMR 7,010

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-28.80%

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

$77.1 OMR 29.68

$89.3 MX$1,513

-13.65%

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

$49.81 OMR 19.18

$23.30 MX$395

113.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.4 OMR 29.02

$31.72 MX$538

137.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.20 OMR 15.48

$68.8 MX$1,165

-41.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.60 OMR 9.86

$29.40 MX$498

-12.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.75 OMR 2.98

$5.06 MX$85.7

53.16%

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

$222 MX$3,765

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,966 OMR 757

$4,293 MX$72.7K

-54.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.11 OMR 10.82

$46.21 MX$783

-39.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.70 OMR 12.21

$44.43 MX$753

-28.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.9 OMR 22.66

$95.5 MX$1,618

-38.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$45.37 OMR 17.47

$92.5 MX$1,568

-50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 OMR 96.5

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-76.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$207 OMR 79.8

$393 MX$6,663

-47.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 OMR 242

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-68.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$386 OMR 149

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-70.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,983 OMR 763

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-50.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,222 OMR 471

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-81.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,792 OMR 690

$747 MX$12.7K

139.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.58

11.6

-60.52%

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

Last update for Salalah: August 16, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $251 in Salalah versus $1,069 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 140% 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 $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $277 – 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 30%, 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 $1,529 per month in Salalah and $1,995 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 $1,020 in Salalah and $1,330 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Salalah and $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Salalah, where all-in costs run around $1,020, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,330. 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.