Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Hufuf and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,612 per month in Al Hufuf vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,186 per month in Al Hufuf vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hufuf is about 17% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Al Hufuf and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Hufuf 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.66

$11.99 MX$210

-43.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.02 SAR 184

$41.78 MX$733

17.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.83 SAR 29.42

$10.75 MX$189

-27.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.88

$3.50 MX$61.3

13.14%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.45 MX$25.41

-51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.88 MX$15.52

-77.27%

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)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.43 MX$25.12

13.99%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 SAR 3.59

$1.84 MX$32.23

-47.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 SAR 8.86

$1.57 MX$27.51

50.32%

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.44

$2.51 MX$44.06

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.71 SAR 21.46

$8.28 MX$145

-31.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.34 SAR 23.82

$8.43 MX$148

-24.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.87 SAR 52.1

$10.68 MX$187

29.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.42

$2.61 MX$45.76

-34.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.84

$1.44 MX$25.22

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$1.96 MX$34.41

-30.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

$2.09 MX$36.74

-44.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.85 MX$32.47

-45.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$2.17 MX$38.02

-52.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.31 SAR 4.93

$1.03 MX$18.09

27.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$1.07 MX$18.84

-52.34%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.98 SAR 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 SAR 4.30

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.46 SAR 24.24

$4.10 MX$72.0

57.56%

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)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.51 MX$8.93

115.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.69 SAR 153

$26.04 MX$457

56.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 SAR 9.72

$3.23 MX$56.7

-19.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.41 MX$42.19

-20.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.11 SAR 49.23

$3.23 MX$56.6

305.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.32 MX$23.17

-51.52%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.6K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

18.87%

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

$23.3K SAR 87.4K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-1.65%

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

$80.2 SAR 301

$82.0 MX$1,439

-2.21%

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

$31.16 SAR 117

$22.95 MX$403

35.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 SAR 284

$30.11 MX$528

151.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 SAR 538

$52.0 MX$912

175.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.35 SAR 125

$18.53 MX$325

79.98%

Cinema Ticket

$13.22 SAR 49.65

$4.98 MX$87.3

165.46%

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

$297 SAR 1,116

$197 MX$3,463

50.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,069 SAR 15.3K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-23.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.64 SAR 47.45

$35.60 MX$624

-64.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.98 SAR 60.0

$40.33 MX$707

-60.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$40.91 SAR 154

$78.8 MX$1,381

-48.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.46 SAR 126

$88.9 MX$1,560

-62.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$357 SAR 1,339

$947 MX$16.6K

-62.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$271 SAR 1,016

$474 MX$8,314

-42.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 SAR 2,709

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-56.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 SAR 1,504

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-66.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,014 SAR 7,565

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-50.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,388 SAR 5,214

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-78.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,976 SAR 7,421

$654 MX$11.5K

202.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.5

11.42

-78.11%

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

Last update for Al Hufuf: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $357 in Al Hufuf 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 202% higher in Al Hufuf, 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 $49.00 in Al Hufuf versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $179 in Al Hufuf vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Al Hufuf 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

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

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 21%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Al Hufuf 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 Al Hufuf, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Al Hufuf and $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Al Hufuf and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,037, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hufuf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hufuf. 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.