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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Shaab vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,321 per month in Shaab vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,263 per month in Shaab vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Shaab costs about 6% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Shaab sits 3% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.09 KWD 3.09

$11.73 MX$203

-13.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 KWD 24.97

$41.62 MX$720

95.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 KWD 2.69

$10.64 MX$184

-17.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.10

Cappuccino

$5.86 KWD 1.80

$3.52 MX$60.9

66.48%

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

$0.68 KWD 0.21

$1.51 MX$26.12

-54.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 KWD 0.12

$0.97 MX$16.84

-60.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.38 MX$23.93

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.89 MX$32.72

-34.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$1.64 MX$28.32

5.49%

Eggs

$2.09 KWD 0.64

$2.51 MX$43.34

-16.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.17 KWD 1.58

$8.34 MX$144

-38.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.59 KWD 2.02

$8.34 MX$144

-20.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.23 KWD 3.14

$10.73 MX$186

-4.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

$2.60 MX$45.04

-5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 KWD 0.58

$1.46 MX$25.20

28.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 KWD 0.55

$1.90 MX$32.87

-5.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.08 MX$35.91

-27.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.78 MX$30.71

-30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

$1.04 MX$17.99

54.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$1.08 MX$18.62

-58.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.01

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.99 KWD 0.92

$4.08 MX$70.6

-26.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 KWD 0.27

$0.51 MX$8.81

76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.00 KWD 13.80

$26.46 MX$458

70.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$3.26 MX$56.4

1.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

$2.49 MX$43.09

30.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.30 KWD 5.00

$3.25 MX$56.2

401.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.31 MX$22.61

-72.52%

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

$21.3K KWD 6,525

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-29.74%

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

$19.9K KWD 6,114

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-14.92%

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

$62.6 KWD 19.20

$82.9 MX$1,433

-24.46%

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

$18.95 KWD 5.81

$22.22 MX$384

-14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.89 KWD 7.94

$29.34 MX$507

-11.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.5 KWD 28.97

$51.6 MX$893

82.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.50 KWD 13.95

$18.32 MX$317

148.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.52 KWD 3.53

$5.07 MX$87.6

127.22%

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

$407 KWD 125

$201 MX$3,473

102.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,485 KWD 1,989

$5,212 MX$90.1K

24.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.61 KWD 13.07

$36.92 MX$639

15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.28 KWD 12.97

$39.79 MX$688

6.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 KWD 26.41

$78.5 MX$1,357

9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.1 KWD 24.86

$87.1 MX$1,506

-6.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$779 KWD 239

$973 MX$16.8K

-19.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$605 KWD 185

$468 MX$8,090

29.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 KWD 474

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 KWD 389

$1,221 MX$21.1K

3.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,219 KWD 987

$664 MX$11.5K

384.79%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $779 in Shaab versus $973 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 385% higher in Shaab, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Shaab versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Shaab vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Shaab 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

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

Yes – Shaab is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,067 per month in Shaab and $1,945 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 Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,378 in Shaab and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 70% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Shaab at $1,378. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shaab it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Playa del Carmen – 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shaab makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.