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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,132 per month in Abha vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Abha vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,643 per month in Abha vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abha is about 10% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Abha and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.37

$11.99 MX$210

-54.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SAR 202

$41.78 MX$733

28.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.56 SAR 28.39

$10.75 MX$189

-29.67%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.88

$3.50 MX$61.3

-9.71%

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

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$1.45 MX$25.41

-60.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.88 MX$15.52

-73.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 SAR 7.07

$1.43 MX$25.12

31.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$1.84 MX$32.23

-72.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.57 MX$27.51

25.48%

Eggs

$2.85 SAR 10.69

$2.51 MX$44.06

13.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.84 SAR 21.95

$8.28 MX$145

-29.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.57 SAR 32.19

$8.43 MX$148

1.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.77 SAR 63.0

$10.68 MX$187

57.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.61 MX$45.76

-27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.02

$1.44 MX$25.22

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.96 MX$34.41

-25.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.47

$2.09 MX$36.74

-17.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.85 MX$32.47

-25.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$2.17 MX$38.02

-43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 SAR 3.36

$1.03 MX$18.09

-12.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.19

$1.07 MX$18.84

-45.79%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.61 SAR 36.07

$4.10 MX$72.0

134.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 SAR 3.17

$0.51 MX$8.93

64.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.42 SAR 148

$26.04 MX$457

51.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.76

$3.23 MX$56.7

-19.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.27

$2.41 MX$42.19

13.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.10 SAR 49.18

$3.23 MX$56.6

305.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.32 MX$23.17

-55.30%

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

$24.7K SAR 92.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-16.81%

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

$22.6K SAR 85.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-4.30%

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

$81.3 SAR 305

$82.0 MX$1,439

-0.85%

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

$36.96 SAR 139

$22.95 MX$403

61.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.7 SAR 205

$30.11 MX$528

81.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 456

$52.0 MX$912

133.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.45 SAR 103

$18.53 MX$325

48.14%

Cinema Ticket

$17.86 SAR 67.1

$4.98 MX$87.3

258.63%

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

$241 SAR 906

$197 MX$3,463

22.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,294 SAR 19.9K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.27 SAR 144

$35.60 MX$624

7.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.9 SAR 247

$40.33 MX$707

63.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$178 SAR 667

$78.8 MX$1,381

125.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 SAR 331

$88.9 MX$1,560

-0.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 SAR 1,355

$947 MX$16.6K

-61.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 SAR 990

$474 MX$8,314

-44.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$557 SAR 2,091

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-66.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 SAR 2,334

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-48.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,364 SAR 8,876

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-41.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,328 SAR 4,986

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-79.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,190 SAR 8,222

$654 MX$11.5K

234.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.67

11.42

-50.35%

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

Last update for Abha: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $361 in Abha 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.

Salaries run about 235% higher in Abha, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Abha versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $205 in Abha vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Abha 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,698 per month in Abha and $1,884 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 Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Abha and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,132, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,132 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Abha. 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.