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: $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,891 in Ad Dammam versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,575 in Ad Dammam versus $2,980 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

$7.49 SAR 28.11

$11.87 MX$204

-36.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.1 SAR 203

$42.90 MX$736

26.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.78 SAR 29.21

$10.65 MX$183

-26.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.91 SAR 7.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Cappuccino

$3.60 SAR 13.51

$3.45 MX$59.2

4.35%

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

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.50 MX$25.81

-40.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 SAR 1.31

$0.95 MX$16.28

-63.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.38 MX$23.61

20.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.85 MX$31.70

-21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

$1.61 MX$27.65

24.22%

Eggs

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.59 MX$44.51

-13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.01 SAR 22.56

$8.26 MX$142

-27.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$8.37 MX$144

-13.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.97 SAR 37.41

$10.66 MX$183

-6.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.63 MX$45.12

-17.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 SAR 5.61

$1.49 MX$25.53

0.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.28

$1.92 MX$32.94

-26.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

$2.09 MX$35.81

-23.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.59

$1.86 MX$31.88

-34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.22

$2.26 MX$38.81

-38.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$1.06 MX$18.23

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.09 MX$18.67

-45.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.19 SAR 15.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.49

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 SAR 29.43

$4.15 MX$71.2

88.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$0.54 MX$9.30

75.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.76 SAR 153

$26.94 MX$462

51.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 SAR 12.60

$3.13 MX$53.7

7.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.71 SAR 10.18

$2.51 MX$43.09

7.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$3.15 MX$54.1

329.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.27 MX$21.88

-51.97%

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

$22.9K SAR 85.8K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-24.71%

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

$20.7K SAR 77.6K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

-12.20%

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

$117 SAR 440

$83.0 MX$1,425

41.14%

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

$38.94 SAR 146

$22.71 MX$390

71.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 SAR 234

$29.46 MX$506

111.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 SAR 259

$51.0 MX$875

35.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.82 SAR 116

$18.33 MX$315

68.14%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 SAR 56.5

$4.93 MX$84.5

205.27%

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

$414 SAR 1,552

$197 MX$3,386

109.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,178 SAR 30.7K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

54.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$36.90 MX$633

87.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.6 SAR 254

$39.89 MX$685

69.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 SAR 340

$80.0 MX$1,373

13.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 SAR 322

$89.5 MX$1,536

-4.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,669

$956 MX$16.4K

-53.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$385 SAR 1,446

$477 MX$8,189

-19.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 SAR 3,002

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-51.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$635 SAR 2,382

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-48.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,331 SAR 4,995

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-66.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$804 SAR 3,019

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-87.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,884 SAR 7,071

$667 MX$11.4K

182.51%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Ad Dammam and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 183% 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 $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $185 vs $250, 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.

Ad Dammam pays 183% more on average, 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: $445 in Ad Dammam versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,207 per month in Ad Dammam versus $1,271 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 $1,207 in Ad Dammam versus $1,271 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 $1,207 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.