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 $1,433 per month in Sohar vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,145 per month in Sohar vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,858 per month in Sohar vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Sohar costs about 14% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sohar sits 8% above the global median, while Playa del Carmen is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.52 OMR 2.51

$11.72 MX$203

-44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.79 OMR 8.00

$41.89 MX$725

-50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.98 OMR 3.46

$10.51 MX$182

-14.56%

Cappuccino

$6.98 OMR 2.69

$3.59 MX$62.0

94.43%

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

$0.70 OMR 0.27

$1.51 MX$26.10

-53.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 OMR 0.10

$0.92 MX$15.83

-70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$13.24 OMR 5.10

$2.96 MX$51.2

347.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.55 OMR 5.60

$4.41 MX$76.3

229.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 OMR 0.84

$1.40 MX$24.16

56.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 OMR 0.40

$1.88 MX$32.60

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 OMR 1.24

$1.56 MX$26.97

106.41%

Eggs

$2.68 OMR 1.03

$2.61 MX$45.14

2.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 OMR 5.31

$8.32 MX$144

65.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.00 OMR 3.47

$8.35 MX$145

7.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.39 OMR 5.54

$10.86 MX$188

32.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 OMR 1.26

$2.71 MX$46.93

20.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 OMR 0.84

$1.51 MX$26.04

45.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 OMR 0.97

$1.87 MX$32.41

35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 OMR 0.45

$2.19 MX$37.89

-46.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 OMR 0.67

$1.86 MX$32.14

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.79 OMR 0.69

$2.23 MX$38.59

-19.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 OMR 0.65

$1.07 MX$18.48

57.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 OMR 0.37

$1.09 MX$18.79

-11.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.83 OMR 2.24

$4.19 MX$72.4

39.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$26.53 OMR 10.21

$10.43 MX$180

154.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.84 OMR 1.48

$1.66 MX$28.68

131.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.41 OMR 3.24

$2.61 MX$45.19

222.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 OMR 0.98

$0.54 MX$9.37

368.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.4 OMR 19.76

$26.16 MX$453

96.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 OMR 1.26

$3.08 MX$53.3

5.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 OMR 0.61

$2.40 MX$41.61

-34.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.51 OMR 4.05

$3.13 MX$54.1

235.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 OMR 0.23

$1.31 MX$22.69

-53.44%

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

$18.1K OMR 6,967

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-39.28%

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

$20.0K OMR 7,714

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-14.07%

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

$101 OMR 38.85

$81.3 MX$1,406

24.16%

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

$29.59 OMR 11.39

$22.56 MX$390

31.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.7 OMR 33.35

$30.05 MX$520

188.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 OMR 20.04

$52.9 MX$915

-1.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

Cinema Ticket

$11.56 OMR 4.45

$4.92 MX$85.1

134.96%

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

$265 OMR 102

$201 MX$3,474

31.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,989 OMR 2,690

$5,175 MX$89.5K

35.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 OMR 19.46

$35.92 MX$622

40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.89 OMR 16.89

$40.13 MX$694

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.0 OMR 30.40

$79.7 MX$1,379

-0.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.09 OMR 17.74

$86.5 MX$1,496

-46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$487 OMR 187

$978 MX$16.9K

-50.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 OMR 146

$470 MX$8,140

-19.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$758 OMR 292

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-54.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 OMR 263

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-43.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,168 OMR 450

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-70.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$792 OMR 305

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-88.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,486 OMR 957

$677 MX$11.7K

267.36%

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: July 25, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $487 in Sohar versus $978 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 267% 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Sohar vs $252 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 14%, 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 $2,149 per month in Sohar and $1,890 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 $1,433 in Sohar and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 96% 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 $1,260, than in Sohar at $1,433. 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.