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 $1,232 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,961 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,690 per month in Al Majma'ah vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Majma'ah is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Majma'ah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Majma'ah 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.89 SAR 29.64

$11.60 MX$200

-31.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.7 SAR 243

$47.11 MX$811

37.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.89 SAR 33.39

$11.88 MX$205

-25.17%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.15

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.01 SAR 11.30

Cappuccino

$4.41 SAR 16.55

$3.98 MX$68.5

10.80%

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

$0.95 SAR 3.58

$1.43 MX$24.57

-33.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.18

$0.82 MX$14.20

-62.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$1.68 MX$28.85

-1.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$2.20 MX$37.83

-39.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.94

$1.71 MX$29.41

39.18%

Eggs

$3.24 SAR 12.18

$2.74 MX$47.20

18.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 SAR 36.16

$9.58 MX$165

0.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.56 SAR 35.91

$9.01 MX$155

6.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 SAR 58.6

$12.81 MX$221

21.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.72 SAR 10.22

$2.89 MX$49.74

-5.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.50 MX$25.78

29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 SAR 8.96

$2.15 MX$36.98

10.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$2.26 MX$38.91

-22.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.98 MX$34.10

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.07

$1.99 MX$34.26

-32.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 SAR 6.44

$1.23 MX$21.25

39.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 SAR 2.10

$1.20 MX$20.60

-53.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.75 SAR 10.34

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 SAR 9.20

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.43 SAR 27.91

$4.55 MX$78.3

63.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.60 MX$10.34

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.52 SAR 133

$28.80 MX$496

23.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 SAR 11.84

$5.39 MX$92.8

-41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$3.73 MX$64.2

-51.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.52 SAR 50.8

$5.77 MX$99.3

134.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.54 MX$26.45

-58.44%

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

$35.9K SAR 135.0K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

59.38%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.4K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-12.75%

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

$94.3 SAR 354

$91.4 MX$1,573

3.18%

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

$32.85 SAR 123

$25.20 MX$434

30.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 SAR 259

$31.24 MX$538

120.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.9 SAR 315

$67.2 MX$1,157

24.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.05 SAR 139

$29.11 MX$501

27.28%

Cinema Ticket

$13.26 SAR 49.82

$4.86 MX$83.7

172.84%

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

$540 SAR 2,028

$224 MX$3,851

141.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K SAR 41.6K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

161.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 SAR 222

$47.10 MX$811

25.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 SAR 215

$44.29 MX$763

29.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 SAR 398

$80.1 MX$1,379

32.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SAR 407

$92.7 MX$1,596

16.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$581 SAR 2,182

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$351 SAR 1,317

$390 MX$6,719

-10.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,294

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-59.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$540 SAR 2,027

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-57.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,320 SAR 8,716

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-42.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,378 SAR 5,176

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

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 Majma'ah: September 15, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $581 in Al Majma'ah versus $1,063 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 $65.0 in Al Majma'ah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $239 in Al Majma'ah vs $276 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 Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,848 per month in Al Majma'ah and $1,899 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 $540 per month in Al Majma'ah and $224 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 15% 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 $1,232, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. 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 $1,232 versus $1,266 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.