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 $1,270 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,965 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,660 per month in Al Mubarraz vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al Mubarraz costs about 1% more 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 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.48 SAR 28.08

$11.99 MX$210

-37.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.94 SAR 142

$41.78 MX$733

-9.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.12 SAR 26.72

$10.75 MX$189

-33.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Cappuccino

$4.00 SAR 15.03

$3.50 MX$61.3

14.29%

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

$0.66 SAR 2.47

$1.45 MX$25.41

-54.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.19 SAR 0.72

$0.88 MX$15.52

-78.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$1.43 MX$25.12

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.84 MX$32.23

-31.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.43 SAR 9.11

$1.57 MX$27.51

54.78%

Eggs

$2.65 SAR 9.93

$2.51 MX$44.06

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 SAR 31.39

$8.28 MX$145

0.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.16 SAR 38.15

$8.43 MX$148

20.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 SAR 54.4

$10.68 MX$187

35.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.61 MX$45.76

-11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.28

$1.44 MX$25.22

15.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 SAR 6.99

$1.96 MX$34.41

-5.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.80

$2.09 MX$36.74

-25.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.28 SAR 4.80

$1.85 MX$32.47

-30.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SAR 5.67

$2.17 MX$38.02

-30.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

$1.03 MX$18.09

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 SAR 1.97

$1.07 MX$18.84

-50.47%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.79 SAR 10.48

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 SAR 28.24

$4.10 MX$72.0

83.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.08

$0.51 MX$8.93

113.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.33 SAR 151

$26.04 MX$457

54.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.29 SAR 12.37

$3.23 MX$56.7

1.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.19

$2.41 MX$42.19

-20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$3.23 MX$56.6

316.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$1.32 MX$23.17

-59.09%

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

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-33.26%

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

$23.6K SAR 88.5K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-0.41%

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

$104 SAR 392

$82.0 MX$1,439

27.40%

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

$35.57 SAR 134

$22.95 MX$403

54.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.3 SAR 283

$30.11 MX$528

150.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.7 SAR 329

$52.0 MX$912

68.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.03 SAR 132

$18.53 MX$325

89.04%

Cinema Ticket

$15.69 SAR 58.9

$4.98 MX$87.3

215.06%

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

$452 SAR 1,697

$197 MX$3,463

128.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,474 SAR 35.6K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

77.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 SAR 224

$35.60 MX$624

67.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$40.33 MX$707

57.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SAR 401

$78.8 MX$1,381

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 SAR 374

$88.9 MX$1,560

12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,644

$947 MX$16.6K

-53.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$381 SAR 1,429

$474 MX$8,314

-19.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$848 SAR 3,184

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-48.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$632 SAR 2,375

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-47.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 SAR 7,948

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-47.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,437 SAR 5,398

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-77.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,073 SAR 4,028

$654 MX$11.5K

64.02%

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 Mubarraz: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $438 in Al Mubarraz versus $947 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 64% higher in Al Mubarraz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Al Mubarraz versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $249 – 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: $1,270 in Al Mubarraz, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 1% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,905 per month in Al Mubarraz and $1,884 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $452 per month in Al Mubarraz and $197 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Al Mubarraz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,270. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Mubarraz 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 $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,270 in Al Mubarraz. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Mubarraz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.