Cost of Living Comparison Between Wadi As Sir and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Wadi As Sir and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $764 per month in Wadi As Sir vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,235 per month in Wadi As Sir vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,705 per month in Wadi As Sir vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Wadi As Sir is about 39% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Wadi As Sir and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Wadi As Sir 43% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.24 JOD 5.12
$11.99 MX$210
-39.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$48.74 JOD 34.50
$41.78 MX$733
16.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.04 JOD 4.98
$10.75 MX$189
-34.51%
Cappuccino
$4.18 JOD 2.96
$3.50 MX$61.3
19.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.51 JOD 0.36
$1.45 MX$25.41
-64.83%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 JOD 0.26
$0.88 MX$15.52
-57.95%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.48 JOD 3.88
$2.95 MX$51.7
85.76%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.23 JOD 5.11
$4.51 MX$79.1
60.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 JOD 1.03
$1.43 MX$25.12
2.10%
White Bread (500g)
$0.51 JOD 0.36
$1.84 MX$32.23
-72.28%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 JOD 1.14
$1.57 MX$27.51
3.18%
Eggs
$2.57 JOD 1.82
$2.51 MX$44.06
2.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.56 JOD 4.64
$8.28 MX$145
-20.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.70 JOD 4.74
$8.43 MX$148
-20.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.33 JOD 8.02
$10.68 MX$187
6.09%
Apples (1kg)
$2.03 JOD 1.44
$2.61 MX$45.76
-22.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.79 JOD 1.27
$1.44 MX$25.22
24.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.43 JOD 1.01
$1.96 MX$34.41
-27.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.77 JOD 0.54
$2.09 MX$36.74
-63.16%
Potato (1kg)
$0.92 JOD 0.65
$1.85 MX$32.47
-50.27%
Onion (1kg)
$0.70 JOD 0.50
$2.17 MX$38.02
-67.74%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.60 JOD 0.43
$1.03 MX$18.09
-41.75%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 JOD 0.42
$1.07 MX$18.84
-44.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.54 JOD 2.51
$4.10 MX$72.0
-13.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.04 JOD 14.90
$10.17 MX$178
106.88%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.71 JOD 3.33
$1.68 MX$29.38
180.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.45 JOD 3.86
$2.53 MX$44.31
115.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.51 MX$8.93
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$26.04 MX$457
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.74 JOD 0.53
$3.23 MX$56.7
-77.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.37 JOD 0.97
$2.41 MX$42.19
-43.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.87 JOD 4.87
$3.23 MX$56.6
112.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.46 JOD 1.04
$1.32 MX$23.17
10.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.0K JOD 19.1K
$29.7K MX$520.9K
-9.06%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K JOD 23.0K
$23.7K MX$415.0K
37.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 JOD 73.2
$82.0 MX$1,439
26.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.66 JOD 11.80
$22.95 MX$403
-27.41%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.59 JOD 22.36
$30.11 MX$528
4.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$20.77 JOD 14.70
$52.0 MX$912
-60.03%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.53 MX$325
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.18 JOD 7.91
$4.98 MX$87.3
124.50%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$272 JOD 192
$197 MX$3,463
37.56%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,378 JOD 3,806
$5,336 MX$93.6K
0.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.8 JOD 44.43
$35.60 MX$624
76.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.5 JOD 40.73
$40.33 MX$707
42.67%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$116 JOD 82.2
$78.8 MX$1,381
47.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.5 JOD 57.7
$88.9 MX$1,560
-8.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$281 JOD 199
$947 MX$16.6K
-70.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$474 MX$8,314
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$625 JOD 442
$1,644 MX$28.8K
-62.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,211 MX$21.2K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$4,056 MX$71.1K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,470 MX$113.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Wadi As Sir
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$654 MX$11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.27
11.42
-36.34%

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

Last update for Wadi As Sir: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Wadi As Sir versus $947 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Wadi As Sir versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $244 in Wadi As Sir vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Wadi As Sir 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
Wadi As Sir vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Playa del Carmen cheaper than Wadi As Sir?
Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,146 per month in Wadi As Sir and $1,884 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Wadi As Sir, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Wadi As Sir and in Playa del Carmen?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $764 in Wadi As Sir and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $272 per month in Wadi As Sir and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Wadi As Sir or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Wadi As Sir, where all-in costs run around $764, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Wadi As Sir it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Wadi As Sir or Playa del Carmen more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Wadi As Sir – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Wadi As Sir or Playa del Carmen?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Wadi As Sir. 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.

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