Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ad Dammam and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,860 in Ad Dammam versus $2,125 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,524 in Ad Dammam versus $2,990 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Ad Dammam costs roughly 5% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ad Dammam 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.29 SAR 27.37

$11.72 MX$203

-37.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.7 SAR 202

$41.89 MX$725

28.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.16

$10.51 MX$182

-23.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

Cappuccino

$3.73 SAR 14.00

$3.59 MX$62.0

3.90%

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

$0.92 SAR 3.44

$1.51 MX$26.10

-39.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.30

$0.92 MX$15.83

-61.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 SAR 6.13

$1.40 MX$24.16

16.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 SAR 5.49

$1.88 MX$32.60

-22.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 SAR 7.86

$1.56 MX$26.97

33.97%

Eggs

$2.27 SAR 8.53

$2.61 MX$45.14

-13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.12 SAR 22.97

$8.32 MX$144

-26.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.23

$8.35 MX$145

-13.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.70 SAR 36.42

$10.86 MX$188

-10.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 SAR 7.95

$2.71 MX$46.93

-21.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.61

$1.51 MX$26.04

-1.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.24

$1.87 MX$32.41

-25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.98

$2.19 MX$37.89

-27.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.82

$1.86 MX$32.14

-31.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.97

$2.23 MX$38.59

-40.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.07 MX$18.48

27.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.09 MX$18.79

-45.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.76 SAR 29.13

$4.19 MX$72.4

85.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$0.54 MX$9.37

75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.54 SAR 148

$26.16 MX$453

51.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.38 SAR 12.70

$3.08 MX$53.3

9.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.62 SAR 9.86

$2.40 MX$41.61

9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.8

$3.13 MX$54.1

332.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.25

$1.31 MX$22.69

-54.20%

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

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-22.87%

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

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

-9.67%

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

$115 SAR 432

$81.3 MX$1,406

41.47%

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

$38.60 SAR 145

$22.56 MX$390

71.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 SAR 239

$30.05 MX$520

111.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.5 SAR 265

$52.9 MX$915

33.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.26 SAR 117

$18.39 MX$318

69.98%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 SAR 56.6

$4.92 MX$85.1

206.10%

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

$415 SAR 1,558

$201 MX$3,474

106.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

57.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 SAR 258

$35.92 MX$622

90.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.7 SAR 250

$40.13 MX$694

66.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 SAR 348

$79.7 MX$1,379

16.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.7 SAR 322

$86.5 MX$1,496

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,677

$978 MX$16.9K

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 SAR 1,421

$470 MX$8,140

-19.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$805 SAR 3,021

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-51.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$626 SAR 2,350

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-48.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,353 SAR 5,082

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-65.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$816 SAR 3,063

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-87.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,510 SAR 5,669

$677 MX$11.7K

123.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.33

11.42

-62.08%

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

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $447 in Ad Dammam and $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 123% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $54.0 in Ad Dammam vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $184 vs $252, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 123% higher in Ad Dammam, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $447 in Ad Dammam versus $978 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,196 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,196 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ad Dammam and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.