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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Al Khobar versus $1,330 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,207 in Al Khobar versus $2,336 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,010 in Al Khobar versus $3,341 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Al Khobar is roughly 6% more expensive than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Al Khobar is 2% above, Playa del Carmen is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.86 SAR 25.77

$13.02 MX$221

-47.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 SAR 225

$46.25 MX$784

29.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 SAR 29.62

$12.59 MX$213

-37.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.75 SAR 10.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 SAR 9.83

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.28

$4.00 MX$67.9

8.50%

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

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$1.42 MX$24.08

-31.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.41 SAR 1.53

$0.81 MX$13.73

-49.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.05 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 MX$116

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.71 MX$29.04

-5.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 SAR 4.95

$2.22 MX$37.62

-40.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.48 SAR 9.30

$1.72 MX$29.13

44.19%

Eggs

$2.33 SAR 8.77

$2.71 MX$45.99

-14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.25 SAR 27.20

$9.37 MX$159

-22.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 SAR 37.82

$8.86 MX$150

13.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.56 SAR 43.40

$12.78 MX$217

-9.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.78 SAR 10.45

$3.13 MX$53.0

-11.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.55 MX$26.24

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$2.15 MX$36.51

-6.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

$2.35 MX$39.89

-21.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.25

$2.02 MX$34.23

-30.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.99 MX$33.67

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.24 MX$21.09

34.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 SAR 2.16

$1.19 MX$20.21

-51.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.68 SAR 10.07

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$4.65 MX$78.8

41.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 MX$26.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 MX$49.48

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 SAR 2.95

$0.56 MX$9.53

39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$66.8 SAR 251

$29.76 MX$504

124.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 SAR 12.86

$5.32 MX$90.2

-35.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$3.72 MX$63.0

-26.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 SAR 24.76

$5.78 MX$97.9

14.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.55 MX$26.27

-59.35%

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

$67.6K SAR 254.0K

$22.4K MX$379.1K

202.36%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$25.6K MX$433.3K

-12.47%

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

$97.5 SAR 366

$89.3 MX$1,513

9.16%

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

$33.42 SAR 125

$23.30 MX$395

43.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 SAR 267

$31.72 MX$538

123.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.8 SAR 307

$68.8 MX$1,165

18.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.06 SAR 135

$29.40 MX$498

22.65%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 SAR 57.3

$5.06 MX$85.7

201.58%

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

$613 SAR 2,301

$222 MX$3,765

175.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,518 SAR 32.0K

$4,293 MX$72.7K

98.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.6 SAR 242

$46.21 MX$783

39.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$84.7 SAR 318

$44.43 MX$753

90.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 SAR 365

$95.5 MX$1,618

1.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.2 SAR 346

$92.5 MX$1,568

-0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,423

$1,069 MX$18.1K

-39.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$498 SAR 1,870

$393 MX$6,663

26.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,171 SAR 4,398

$1,988 MX$33.7K

-41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$867 SAR 3,256

$1,304 MX$22.1K

-33.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,415 SAR 9,069

$4,037 MX$68.4K

-40.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,474 SAR 5,534

$6,627 MX$112.3K

-77.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,817 SAR 6,824

$747 MX$12.7K

143.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.88

11.6

-49.31%

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

Last update for Al Khobar: August 17, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $645 in Al Khobar and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Al Khobar pays 143% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Al Khobar vs $46.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $277, with Al Khobar 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

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

Playa del Carmen wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Al Khobar. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Playa del Carmen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 143% higher in Al Khobar, 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: $645 in Al Khobar versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Playa del Carmen runs roughly 124% less than in Al Khobar. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $613 in Al Khobar versus $222 in Playa del Carmen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,330 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,404 in Al Khobar, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Playa del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Al Khobar. The gap between the two cities makes Playa del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Playa del Carmen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,330 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Playa del Carmen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Al Khobar 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 Playa del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Al Khobar. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.