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 $1,116 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,729 per month in Al Hufuf vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,343 per month in Al Hufuf vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hufuf is about 14% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Hufuf and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Hufuf 19% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$11.71 MX$199

-43.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 SAR 197

$46.59 MX$791

12.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.32 SAR 27.49

$11.65 MX$198

-37.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

Cappuccino

$3.82 SAR 14.33

$4.09 MX$69.5

-6.60%

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

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.37 MX$23.34

-54.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.13

$0.83 MX$14.16

-63.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.73 MX$29.33

-4.05%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 SAR 3.06

$2.26 MX$38.39

-63.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$1.77 MX$30.05

46.89%

Eggs

$2.17 SAR 8.14

$2.73 MX$46.41

-20.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.51 SAR 24.44

$9.18 MX$156

-29.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$8.92 MX$151

-11.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.02 SAR 56.4

$12.60 MX$214

19.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$3.02 MX$51.3

-48.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.57 MX$26.68

7.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.94

$2.13 MX$36.10

-38.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$2.26 MX$38.46

-51.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 SAR 4.07

$2.00 MX$34.04

-46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 SAR 3.05

$2.06 MX$35.06

-60.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.18 MX$20.04

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.18

$1.20 MX$20.45

-51.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 SAR 7.04

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.60 SAR 9.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.84 SAR 25.69

$4.63 MX$78.7

47.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.89

$0.57 MX$9.74

82.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.98 SAR 135

$29.83 MX$507

20.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 SAR 12.25

$5.45 MX$92.5

-40.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$3.70 MX$62.9

-50.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.39 SAR 50.3

$5.98 MX$102

123.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.55 MX$26.38

-61.29%

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

$35.8K SAR 134.4K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

60.31%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-12.40%

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

$97.5 SAR 366

$89.1 MX$1,514

9.38%

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

$31.77 SAR 119

$25.04 MX$425

26.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.3 SAR 264

$31.50 MX$535

123.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$106 SAR 397

$67.8 MX$1,151

56.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.59 SAR 137

$28.92 MX$491

26.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.09 SAR 52.9

$5.05 MX$85.8

179.01%

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

$532 SAR 1,999

$225 MX$3,820

136.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.5K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

162.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.46 SAR 65.6

$47.44 MX$806

-63.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.50 SAR 69.5

$44.98 MX$764

-58.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.50 SAR 160

$82.0 MX$1,392

-48.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.50 SAR 118

$92.1 MX$1,564

-65.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 SAR 2,207

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-45.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$346 SAR 1,299

$405 MX$6,884

-14.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$869 SAR 3,262

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-55.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 SAR 2,038

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-58.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,393 SAR 8,986

$3,995 MX$67.9K

-40.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,397 SAR 5,245

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-78.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,936 SAR 7,268

$749 MX$12.7K

158.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.54

11.45

-51.62%

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

Last update for Al Hufuf: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $588 in Al Hufuf versus $1,069 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 159% 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 $52.0 in Al Hufuf versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $194 in Al Hufuf vs $277 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 16%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,674 per month in Al Hufuf and $1,940 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 $52.0 in Al Hufuf and $47.00 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 $1,116 in Al Hufuf and $1,293 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 $1,116, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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.