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

🙂 Solo nomad: Shaab is 1.8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 9% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Shaab is 9.7% more expensive than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 10.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.09 KWD 3.10
$11.85 MX$205
-14.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$82.3 KWD 25.27
$42.16 MX$730
95.23%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.03 KWD 2.77
$10.75 MX$186
-16.00%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.47 KWD 0.76
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 KWD 1.16
-
-
Cappuccino
$6.02 KWD 1.85
$3.47 MX$60.2
73.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 KWD 0.21
$1.45 MX$25.17
-52.41%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.35 KWD 0.11
$0.90 MX$15.64
-61.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.05 MX$52.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.42 MX$76.5
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 KWD 0.48
$1.37 MX$23.72
14.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.29 KWD 0.40
$1.87 MX$32.43
-31.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.72 KWD 0.53
$1.54 MX$26.74
11.69%
Eggs
$2.12 KWD 0.65
$2.50 MX$43.36
-15.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$5.35 KWD 1.64
$8.61 MX$149
-37.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.34 KWD 1.95
$8.63 MX$150
-26.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.20 KWD 3.13
$11.02 MX$191
-7.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.43 KWD 0.75
$2.75 MX$47.62
-11.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.91 KWD 0.59
$1.43 MX$24.73
33.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.75 KWD 0.54
$1.87 MX$32.44
-6.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 KWD 0.45
$2.17 MX$37.54
-32.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.23 KWD 0.38
$1.88 MX$32.61
-34.57%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 KWD 0.40
$2.25 MX$38.91
-41.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.63 KWD 0.50
$1.07 MX$18.49
52.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46 KWD 0.14
$1.07 MX$18.59
-57.01%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.29 KWD 1.01
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 KWD 0.31
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 KWD 0.42
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86 KWD 0.88
$4.15 MX$72.0
-31.08%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.34 MX$179
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.68 MX$29.08
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.48 MX$43.02
-
🚌 Getting Around
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.87 KWD 0.27
$0.55 MX$9.61
58.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$44.54 KWD 13.67
$26.53 MX$459
67.89%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.29 KWD 1.01
$3.22 MX$55.7
2.17%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.15 KWD 0.97
$2.48 MX$42.98
27.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.19 KWD 4.97
$3.11 MX$53.9
420.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.37 KWD 0.11
$1.26 MX$21.75
-70.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3K KWD 6,530
$30.7K MX$531.0K
-30.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.0K KWD 6,137
$24.0K MX$416.4K
-16.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$61.7 KWD 18.93
$82.5 MX$1,429
-25.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.21 KWD 5.59
$22.29 MX$386
-18.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$25.63 KWD 7.87
$30.02 MX$520
-14.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$95.0 KWD 29.15
$51.4 MX$891
84.58%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$47.05 KWD 14.44
$18.29 MX$317
157.24%
Cinema Ticket
$11.49 KWD 3.53
$4.98 MX$86.3
130.72%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$407 KWD 125
$200 MX$3,464
103.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,645 KWD 2,040
$5,304 MX$91.9K
25.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.91 KWD 13.17
$35.71 MX$618
20.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.65 KWD 12.79
$39.56 MX$685
5.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.1 KWD 27.36
$80.6 MX$1,395
10.63%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.8 KWD 24.79
$88.3 MX$1,530
-8.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$780 KWD 239
$969 MX$16.8K
-19.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$617 KWD 190
$482 MX$8,352
28.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,586 KWD 487
$1,595 MX$27.6K
-0.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,293 KWD 397
$1,184 MX$20.5K
9.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,050 MX$70.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,522 MX$113.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Shaab
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,296 KWD 1,012
$756 MX$13.1K
335.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.14
11.42
-37.48%

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

Last update for Shaab: March 3, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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