Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Al-Ula and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,841 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,489 per month in Al-Ula vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Al-Ula and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Al-Ula 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.62 SAR 24.88

$11.99 MX$210

-44.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.37 SAR 167

$41.78 MX$733

6.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.75 SAR 29.11

$10.75 MX$189

-27.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.70 SAR 6.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.64

Cappuccino

$3.64 SAR 13.68

$3.50 MX$61.3

4.00%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.01

$1.45 MX$25.41

-44.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.88 MX$15.52

-67.05%

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)

$1.70 SAR 6.38

$1.43 MX$25.12

18.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.92 SAR 3.47

$1.84 MX$32.23

-50.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$1.57 MX$27.51

47.13%

Eggs

$2.43 SAR 9.13

$2.51 MX$44.06

-3.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$8.28 MX$145

-15.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.27 SAR 27.29

$8.43 MX$148

-13.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.88 SAR 48.38

$10.68 MX$187

20.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

$2.61 MX$45.76

-17.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.19

$1.44 MX$25.22

14.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

$1.96 MX$34.41

-10.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$2.09 MX$36.74

-22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$1.85 MX$32.47

-32.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$2.17 MX$38.02

-40.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 SAR 4.44

$1.03 MX$18.09

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.04

$1.07 MX$18.84

-49.53%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.77 SAR 10.41

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.07 SAR 26.56

$4.10 MX$72.0

72.44%

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)

$40.36 SAR 152

$26.04 MX$457

54.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.85

$3.23 MX$56.7

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 SAR 7.23

$2.41 MX$42.19

-19.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.27 SAR 49.85

$3.23 MX$56.6

310.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.27

$1.32 MX$23.17

-53.79%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.0K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-11.27%

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

$22.4K SAR 84.0K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-5.41%

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

$107 SAR 400

$82.0 MX$1,439

29.87%

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

$33.61 SAR 126

$22.95 MX$403

46.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 SAR 268

$30.11 MX$528

137.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.6 SAR 325

$52.0 MX$912

66.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.23 SAR 136

$18.53 MX$325

95.52%

Cinema Ticket

$15.59 SAR 58.5

$4.98 MX$87.3

213.05%

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

$354 SAR 1,331

$197 MX$3,463

79.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,880 SAR 25.8K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

28.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 SAR 224

$35.60 MX$624

67.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.8 SAR 228

$40.33 MX$707

50.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.7 SAR 292

$78.8 MX$1,381

-1.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.5 SAR 310

$88.9 MX$1,560

-7.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SAR 1,628

$947 MX$16.6K

-54.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,425

$474 MX$8,314

-19.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$835 SAR 3,137

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-49.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-49.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,257 SAR 8,477

$4,056 MX$71.1K

-44.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,522 SAR 5,716

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-76.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.42

-61.30%

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

Last update for Al-Ula: July 12, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $434 in Al-Ula 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $44.00 in Al-Ula versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Al-Ula vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Al-Ula 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-Ula vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,194 in Al-Ula, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 5% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,791 per month in Al-Ula 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 Al-Ula, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $354 per month in Al-Ula 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 28% 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-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,194, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Al-Ula 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 $1,194 in Al-Ula to $1,256 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-Ula. 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.