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 $1,136 per month in Abha vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,893 per month in Abha vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,650 per month in Abha vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Abha is about 12% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Abha and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Abha 15% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 SAR 19.80

$11.73 MX$203

-55.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.5 SAR 197

$41.62 MX$720

26.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.55 SAR 28.35

$10.64 MX$184

-29.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 SAR 5.35

Cappuccino

$3.17 SAR 11.88

$3.52 MX$60.9

-9.94%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.51 MX$26.12

-58.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.87

$0.97 MX$16.84

-76.29%

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)

$1.89 SAR 7.08

$1.38 MX$23.93

36.96%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 SAR 1.79

$1.89 MX$32.72

-74.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 SAR 7.57

$1.64 MX$28.32

23.17%

Eggs

$2.99 SAR 11.24

$2.51 MX$43.34

19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.80 SAR 21.77

$8.34 MX$144

-30.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 SAR 33.43

$8.34 MX$144

6.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.68 SAR 62.6

$10.73 MX$186

55.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

$2.60 MX$45.04

-30.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.26

$1.46 MX$25.20

14.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 SAR 5.50

$1.90 MX$32.87

-22.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$2.08 MX$35.91

-19.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.36

$1.78 MX$30.71

-19.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.72

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 SAR 3.43

$1.04 MX$17.99

-12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.08 MX$18.62

-45.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.31 SAR 16.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.42 SAR 35.37

$4.08 MX$70.6

130.88%

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)

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$0.51 MX$8.81

60.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.87 SAR 150

$26.46 MX$458

50.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 SAR 9.86

$3.26 MX$56.4

-19.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.63 SAR 9.87

$2.49 MX$43.09

5.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.42

$3.25 MX$56.2

305.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.31 MX$22.61

-53.44%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.9K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-20.01%

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

$22.2K SAR 83.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-5.24%

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

$81.1 SAR 304

$82.9 MX$1,433

-2.14%

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

$37.40 SAR 140

$22.22 MX$384

68.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.7 SAR 209

$29.34 MX$507

89.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 SAR 460

$51.6 MX$893

137.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.36 SAR 103

$18.32 MX$317

49.34%

Cinema Ticket

$18.08 SAR 67.9

$5.07 MX$87.6

256.61%

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

$235 SAR 882

$201 MX$3,473

17.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,411 SAR 20.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

3.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.52 SAR 141

$36.92 MX$639

1.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 SAR 250

$39.79 MX$688

67.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$181 SAR 679

$78.5 MX$1,357

130.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 SAR 327

$87.1 MX$1,506

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$358 SAR 1,345

$973 MX$16.8K

-63.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$264 SAR 991

$468 MX$8,090

-43.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 SAR 2,167

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-64.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$640 SAR 2,402

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-47.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,072 SAR 4,025

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-72.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$609 SAR 2,285

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-90.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,221 SAR 8,334

$664 MX$11.5K

234.47%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $358 in Abha 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 234% 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 $53.0 in Abha versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $207 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 14% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,704 per month in Abha 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 Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 $53.0 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 $1,136, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,136 versus $1,297 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.