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 $1,042 per month in Al Hufuf vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in Al Hufuf vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,187 per month in Al Hufuf vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Hufuf is about 20% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.75 SAR 25.35

$11.73 MX$203

-42.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.64 SAR 183

$41.62 MX$720

16.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SAR 29.58

$10.64 MX$184

-25.94%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.02

$3.52 MX$60.9

13.64%

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

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.51 MX$26.12

-57.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 SAR 0.83

$0.97 MX$16.84

-77.32%

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)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$1.38 MX$23.93

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.02 SAR 3.81

$1.89 MX$32.72

-46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.50

$1.64 MX$28.32

37.80%

Eggs

$1.98 SAR 7.42

$2.51 MX$43.34

-21.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 SAR 20.98

$8.34 MX$144

-32.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 SAR 24.58

$8.34 MX$144

-21.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 SAR 51.0

$10.73 MX$186

26.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.60 MX$45.04

-36.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$1.90 MX$32.87

-27.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$2.08 MX$35.91

-46.15%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$1.78 MX$30.71

-47.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 SAR 3.75

$2.19 MX$37.80

-54.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.04 MX$17.99

29.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$1.08 MX$18.62

-49.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.23 SAR 23.38

$4.08 MX$70.6

52.70%

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)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$0.51 MX$8.81

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.61 SAR 149

$26.46 MX$458

49.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.12

$3.26 MX$56.4

-17.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.06

$2.49 MX$43.09

-24.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.15 SAR 49.35

$3.25 MX$56.2

304.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.31 MX$22.61

-51.15%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

16.49%

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

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

0.03%

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

$80.8 SAR 303

$82.9 MX$1,433

-2.55%

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

$31.12 SAR 117

$22.22 MX$384

40.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.8 SAR 288

$29.34 MX$507

161.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$142 SAR 534

$51.6 MX$893

175.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$33.20 SAR 125

$18.32 MX$317

81.22%

Cinema Ticket

$13.08 SAR 49.09

$5.07 MX$87.6

157.99%

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

$295 SAR 1,108

$201 MX$3,473

46.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,132 SAR 15.5K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-20.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$12.44 SAR 46.67

$36.92 MX$639

-66.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.13 SAR 60.5

$39.79 MX$688

-59.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.33 SAR 155

$78.5 MX$1,357

-47.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 SAR 127

$87.1 MX$1,506

-61.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 SAR 1,331

$973 MX$16.8K

-63.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 SAR 997

$468 MX$8,090

-43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$729 SAR 2,735

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-55.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,512

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-67.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,353 SAR 8,830

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-40.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,315 SAR 4,937

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,935 SAR 7,263

$664 MX$11.5K

191.48%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $355 in Al Hufuf 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 191% 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 24%, 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 $1,563 per month in Al Hufuf 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 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 $1,042 in Al Hufuf and $1,297 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 $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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.