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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,465 per month in Sohar vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,123 per month in Sohar vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,781 per month in Sohar vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sohar costs about 15% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sohar sits 9% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 OMR 2.54

$11.87 MX$204

-44.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.13 OMR 8.13

$42.90 MX$736

-50.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.32 OMR 3.59

$10.65 MX$183

-12.49%

Cappuccino

$6.61 OMR 2.54

$3.45 MX$59.2

91.59%

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

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.50 MX$25.81

-57.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.95 MX$16.28

-71.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.24 OMR 5.09

$3.03 MX$51.9

336.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.02 OMR 5.39

$4.61 MX$79.1

204.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 OMR 0.86

$1.38 MX$23.61

61.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$1.85 MX$31.70

-43.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.34 OMR 1.29

$1.61 MX$27.65

107.45%

Eggs

$2.71 OMR 1.04

$2.59 MX$44.51

4.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.49 OMR 5.19

$8.26 MX$142

63.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 OMR 3.58

$8.37 MX$144

11.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 OMR 5.42

$10.66 MX$183

32.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 OMR 1.30

$2.63 MX$45.12

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 OMR 0.84

$1.49 MX$25.53

46.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.45 OMR 0.94

$1.92 MX$32.94

27.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 OMR 0.47

$2.09 MX$35.81

-41.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.86 MX$31.88

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.85 OMR 0.71

$2.26 MX$38.81

-18.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 OMR 0.66

$1.06 MX$18.23

61.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 OMR 0.38

$1.09 MX$18.67

-8.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.10 OMR 2.35

$4.15 MX$71.2

46.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.61 OMR 9.86

$10.39 MX$178

146.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.80 OMR 1.46

$1.72 MX$29.59

120.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.53 OMR 3.28

$2.61 MX$44.85

226.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 OMR 1.02

$0.54 MX$9.30

388.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.3 OMR 20.14

$26.94 MX$462

94.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 OMR 1.26

$3.13 MX$53.7

4.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 OMR 0.58

$2.51 MX$43.09

-39.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.27 OMR 3.95

$3.15 MX$54.1

226.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 OMR 0.25

$1.27 MX$21.88

-49.61%

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

$18.6K OMR 7,146

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-38.88%

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

$20.3K OMR 7,802

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-13.98%

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

$102 OMR 39.13

$83.0 MX$1,425

22.48%

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

$28.69 OMR 11.04

$22.71 MX$390

26.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.5 OMR 33.28

$29.46 MX$506

193.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.8 OMR 19.93

$51.0 MX$875

1.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 OMR 4.42

$4.93 MX$84.5

133.06%

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

$274 OMR 106

$197 MX$3,386

39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,125 OMR 2,742

$5,280 MX$90.6K

34.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 OMR 20.06

$36.90 MX$633

41.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.51 OMR 16.75

$39.89 MX$685

9.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 OMR 30.65

$80.0 MX$1,373

-0.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$47.34 OMR 18.22

$89.5 MX$1,536

-47.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$499 OMR 192

$956 MX$16.4K

-47.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$391 OMR 150

$477 MX$8,189

-18.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$750 OMR 289

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-54.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 OMR 261

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-44.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,172 OMR 451

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-70.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$787 OMR 303

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-87.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,460 OMR 947

$667 MX$11.4K

268.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

11.42

-50.79%

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

Last update for Sohar: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $499 in Sohar 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 269% higher in Sohar, 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 $21.00 in Sohar versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sohar vs $250 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

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

Yes – Sohar is pricier by about 15%, 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 $2,198 per month in Sohar 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 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 $1,465 in Sohar 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 94% 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 $1,271, than in Sohar at $1,465. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sohar 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, Sohar makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.