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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,880 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,519 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Mubarraz is about 2% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al Mubarraz and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al Mubarraz 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 SAR 28.62

$11.60 MX$200

-34.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.77 SAR 138

$47.11 MX$811

-21.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.03 SAR 30.15

$11.88 MX$205

-32.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Cappuccino

$4.34 SAR 16.29

$3.98 MX$68.5

9.05%

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

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$1.43 MX$24.57

-52.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.82 MX$14.20

-65.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

$1.68 MX$28.85

2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$2.20 MX$37.83

-40.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$1.71 MX$29.41

36.84%

Eggs

$3.20 SAR 12.01

$2.74 MX$47.20

16.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 SAR 36.56

$9.58 MX$165

1.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.65 SAR 36.25

$9.01 MX$155

7.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.49 SAR 58.2

$12.81 MX$221

20.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.75 SAR 10.32

$2.89 MX$49.74

-4.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 SAR 7.27

$1.50 MX$25.78

29.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.51

$2.15 MX$36.98

5.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.26 MX$38.91

-23.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.47

$1.98 MX$34.10

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.15

$1.99 MX$34.26

-31.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.66 SAR 6.22

$1.23 MX$21.25

34.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.20 MX$20.60

-50.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.48 SAR 28.09

$4.55 MX$78.3

64.40%

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 3.94

$0.60 MX$10.34

75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.55 SAR 137

$28.80 MX$496

26.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.28 SAR 12.30

$5.39 MX$92.8

-39.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 SAR 7.05

$3.73 MX$64.2

-49.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.26 SAR 49.82

$5.77 MX$99.3

129.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.28

$1.54 MX$26.45

-60.39%

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

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

61.20%

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

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-13.33%

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

$96.1 SAR 361

$91.4 MX$1,573

5.12%

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

$32.18 SAR 121

$25.20 MX$434

27.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 SAR 263

$31.24 MX$538

124.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$85.7 SAR 322

$67.2 MX$1,157

27.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.68 SAR 138

$29.11 MX$501

26.00%

Cinema Ticket

$13.52 SAR 50.8

$4.86 MX$83.7

178.19%

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

$551 SAR 2,070

$224 MX$3,851

146.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

165.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 SAR 218

$47.10 MX$811

23.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 SAR 215

$44.29 MX$763

29.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 SAR 413

$80.1 MX$1,379

37.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 SAR 404

$92.7 MX$1,596

16.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$574 SAR 2,157

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-45.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 SAR 1,302

$390 MX$6,719

-11.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$886 SAR 3,330

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-58.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$550 SAR 2,066

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-56.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,371 SAR 8,904

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-40.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,396 SAR 5,243

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,063 SAR 3,992

$758 MX$13.1K

40.16%

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 Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $574 in Al Mubarraz 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.

Salaries run about 40% higher in Al Mubarraz, 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 $37.00 in Al Mubarraz versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $276 – making Al Mubarraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,240 in Al Mubarraz, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 2% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,860 per month in Al Mubarraz 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 Mubarraz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $551 per month in Al Mubarraz 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Mubarraz, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Al Mubarraz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,240 in Al Mubarraz to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mubarraz. 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.