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 $1,197 per month in Al-Ula vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,832 per month in Al-Ula vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,467 per month in Al-Ula vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Al-Ula is about 8% 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 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.71 SAR 25.18

$11.73 MX$203

-42.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.97 SAR 169

$41.62 MX$720

8.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.82 SAR 29.34

$10.64 MX$184

-26.50%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.02

$3.52 MX$60.9

6.25%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.02

$1.51 MX$26.12

-47.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.97 MX$16.84

-70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.38 MX$23.93

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.56

$1.89 MX$32.72

-49.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$1.64 MX$28.32

40.85%

Eggs

$2.40 SAR 9.01

$2.51 MX$43.34

-4.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 SAR 25.02

$8.34 MX$144

-20.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.71 SAR 28.94

$8.34 MX$144

-7.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 SAR 48.97

$10.73 MX$186

21.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$2.60 MX$45.04

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.46 MX$25.20

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.90 MX$32.87

-11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

$2.08 MX$35.91

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.66

$1.78 MX$30.71

-30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 SAR 4.75

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.04 MX$17.99

18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.08 MX$18.62

-44.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.19 SAR 26.98

$4.08 MX$70.6

76.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.12

$0.51 MX$8.81

115.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.67 SAR 153

$26.46 MX$458

53.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 SAR 9.82

$3.26 MX$56.4

-19.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

$2.49 MX$43.09

-24.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.57 SAR 50.9

$3.25 MX$56.2

317.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.61 SAR 2.29

$1.31 MX$22.61

-53.44%

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

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-11.02%

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

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-3.01%

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

$103 SAR 388

$82.9 MX$1,433

24.80%

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

$33.67 SAR 126

$22.22 MX$384

51.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 SAR 269

$29.34 MX$507

144.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.9 SAR 326

$51.6 MX$893

68.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$18.32 MX$317

95.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.87 SAR 59.5

$5.07 MX$87.6

213.02%

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

$354 SAR 1,330

$201 MX$3,473

76.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

33.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 SAR 226

$36.92 MX$639

63.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.2 SAR 222

$39.79 MX$688

48.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 SAR 295

$78.5 MX$1,357

0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 SAR 313

$87.1 MX$1,506

-4.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$444 SAR 1,667

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$374 SAR 1,405

$468 MX$8,090

-19.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$863 SAR 3,238

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,309

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-49.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,395 SAR 8,988

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-39.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,347 SAR 5,057

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-79.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $444 in Al-Ula versus $973 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 $45.00 in Al-Ula versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $197 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: $1,197 in Al-Ula, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 8% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,796 per month in Al-Ula and $1,945 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 $201 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 27% 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 $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula to $1,297 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.