Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Majma'ah and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al Majma'ah and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,904 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,571 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Majma'ah is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Al Majma'ah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Majma'ah 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.90 SAR 29.65

$11.87 MX$204

-33.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.9 SAR 202

$42.90 MX$736

25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.18 SAR 30.69

$10.65 MX$183

-23.19%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

Cappuccino

$4.10 SAR 15.38

$3.45 MX$59.2

18.84%

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

$0.73 SAR 2.74

$1.50 MX$25.81

-51.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.95 MX$16.28

-67.37%

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)

$1.44 SAR 5.41

$1.38 MX$23.61

4.35%

White Bread (500g)

$0.66 SAR 2.49

$1.85 MX$31.70

-64.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.29 SAR 8.59

$1.61 MX$27.65

42.24%

Eggs

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$2.59 MX$44.51

-12.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.22 SAR 30.83

$8.26 MX$142

-0.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.36 SAR 23.86

$8.37 MX$144

-24.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 SAR 44.72

$10.66 MX$183

11.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.63 MX$45.12

-13.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.49 MX$25.53

12.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.92 MX$32.94

-22.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.09 MX$35.81

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.86 MX$31.88

-65.59%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 SAR 3.37

$2.26 MX$38.81

-60.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.06 MX$18.23

37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.09

$1.09 MX$18.67

-48.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 SAR 28.16

$4.15 MX$71.2

80.72%

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)

$1.04 SAR 3.92

$0.54 MX$9.30

92.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.18 SAR 151

$26.94 MX$462

49.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.34

$3.13 MX$53.7

5.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

$2.51 MX$43.09

-26.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.21 SAR 49.56

$3.15 MX$54.1

319.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.27 MX$21.88

-53.54%

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

$35.3K SAR 132.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

16.09%

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

$23.7K SAR 88.8K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

0.40%

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

$104 SAR 389

$83.0 MX$1,425

25.02%

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

$35.28 SAR 132

$22.71 MX$390

55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 SAR 280

$29.46 MX$506

153.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$51.0 MX$875

73.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.04 SAR 135

$18.33 MX$315

96.62%

Cinema Ticket

$16.28 SAR 61.1

$4.93 MX$84.5

230.22%

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

$456 SAR 1,711

$197 MX$3,386

131.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,643 SAR 36.2K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

82.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$36.90 MX$633

60.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.4 SAR 238

$39.89 MX$685

59.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 399

$80.0 MX$1,373

32.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.8 SAR 374

$89.5 MX$1,536

11.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,624

$956 MX$16.4K

-54.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,402

$477 MX$8,189

-21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$856 SAR 3,212

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-47.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,369

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-48.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 SAR 8,945

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-39.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,322 SAR 4,959

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-79.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.31

11.42

-53.50%

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

Last update for Al Majma'ah: June 8, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Al Majma'ah versus $956 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $54.0 in Al Majma'ah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Al Majma'ah vs $250 in Playa del Carmen – so Al Majma'ah 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 Majma'ah vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Al Majma'ah and $1,906 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 Majma'ah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $456 per month in Al Majma'ah and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Majma'ah, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Al Majma'ah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Al Majma'ah costs $1,236 versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Majma'ah. 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.