Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Arar and Playa del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,180 per month in Arar vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,796 per month in Arar vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,412 per month in Arar vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arar is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arar 14% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.61 SAR 24.81

$11.60 MX$200

-43.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.56 SAR 141

$47.11 MX$811

-20.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.84

$11.88 MX$205

-33.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.89 SAR 7.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.60

Cappuccino

$3.46 SAR 13.00

$3.98 MX$68.5

-13.07%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.11

$1.43 MX$24.57

-41.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.98

$0.82 MX$14.20

-68.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 SAR 6.33

$1.68 MX$28.85

0.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$2.20 MX$37.83

-46.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 SAR 8.44

$1.71 MX$29.41

31.58%

Eggs

$2.35 SAR 8.82

$2.74 MX$47.20

-14.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 SAR 28.15

$9.58 MX$165

-21.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.22 SAR 30.89

$9.01 MX$155

-8.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.91 SAR 48.47

$12.81 MX$221

0.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 SAR 8.11

$2.89 MX$49.74

-25.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 SAR 6.45

$1.50 MX$25.78

14.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.81

$2.15 MX$36.98

-27.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.26 MX$38.91

-26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.98 MX$34.10

-39.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.11

$1.99 MX$34.26

-31.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.19 SAR 4.46

$1.23 MX$21.25

-3.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.21

$1.20 MX$20.60

-50.83%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 SAR 8.04

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.50 SAR 24.43

$4.55 MX$78.3

42.86%

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)

$1.06 SAR 3.97

$0.60 MX$10.34

76.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.08 SAR 136

$28.80 MX$496

25.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.84 SAR 10.68

$5.39 MX$92.8

-47.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

$3.73 MX$64.2

-52.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.05 SAR 49.01

$5.77 MX$99.3

126.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.38

$1.54 MX$26.45

-59.09%

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

$45.2K SAR 169.9K

$22.5K MX$388.3K

100.62%

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

$21.5K SAR 80.9K

$26.1K MX$448.7K

-17.31%

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

$99.4 SAR 373

$91.4 MX$1,573

8.75%

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

$32.81 SAR 123

$25.20 MX$434

30.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 SAR 251

$31.24 MX$538

114.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.3 SAR 317

$67.2 MX$1,157

25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.46 SAR 141

$29.11 MX$501

28.68%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.63

$4.86 MX$83.7

171.81%

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

$338 SAR 1,271

$224 MX$3,851

51.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,658 SAR 25.0K

$4,229 MX$72.8K

57.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 SAR 192

$47.10 MX$811

8.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 SAR 215

$44.29 MX$763

28.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 SAR 360

$80.1 MX$1,379

19.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 SAR 334

$92.7 MX$1,596

-4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$577 SAR 2,169

$1,063 MX$18.3K

-45.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,287

$390 MX$6,719

-12.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$864 SAR 3,246

$2,149 MX$37.0K

-59.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 SAR 2,089

$1,272 MX$21.9K

-56.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,381 SAR 8,943

$4,001 MX$68.9K

-40.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,381 SAR 5,187

$6,502 MX$112.0K

-78.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.47

11.45

-52.23%

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

Last update for Arar: September 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $577 in Arar 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 $38.00 in Arar versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $276 – making Arar 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,180 in Arar, $1,266 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 7% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,770 per month in Arar 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 Arar, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $338 per month in Arar and $224 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arar, where all-in costs run around $1,180, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Arar 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 $1,180 in Arar 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 Arar. 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.