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 $1,221 per month in Arar vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,863 per month in Arar vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,506 per month in Arar vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Arar is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Arar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arar 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.83 SAR 25.65

$11.73 MX$203

-41.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.99 SAR 169

$41.62 MX$720

8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.94 SAR 29.80

$10.64 MX$184

-25.38%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.74 SAR 14.04

$3.52 MX$60.9

6.25%

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

$0.78 SAR 2.93

$1.51 MX$26.12

-48.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 SAR 1.17

$0.97 MX$16.84

-68.04%

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)

$1.63 SAR 6.14

$1.38 MX$23.93

18.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.80

$1.89 MX$32.72

-46.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$1.64 MX$28.32

45.73%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$2.51 MX$43.34

-2.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 25.95

$8.34 MX$144

-17.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.65 SAR 28.71

$8.34 MX$144

-8.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 SAR 48.65

$10.73 MX$186

20.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.50

$2.60 MX$45.04

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$1.46 MX$25.20

8.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.90 MX$32.87

-11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 SAR 5.82

$2.08 MX$35.91

-25.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.78 MX$30.71

-30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$2.19 MX$37.80

-42.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.04 MX$17.99

18.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.05

$1.08 MX$18.62

-49.07%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 SAR 11.94

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 SAR 6.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.16 SAR 26.87

$4.08 MX$70.6

75.49%

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)

$40.09 SAR 150

$26.46 MX$458

51.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.70 SAR 10.14

$3.26 MX$56.4

-17.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 SAR 6.81

$2.49 MX$43.09

-26.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.28 SAR 49.85

$3.25 MX$56.2

308.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.31 MX$22.61

-51.15%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.7K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-12.26%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.4K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-6.32%

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

$103 SAR 388

$82.9 MX$1,433

24.68%

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

$34.41 SAR 129

$22.22 MX$384

54.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 SAR 286

$29.34 MX$507

159.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.2 SAR 327

$51.6 MX$893

68.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.10 SAR 132

$18.32 MX$317

91.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.56 SAR 58.4

$5.07 MX$87.6

206.90%

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

$358 SAR 1,344

$201 MX$3,473

78.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,921 SAR 26.0K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

32.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 SAR 221

$36.92 MX$639

59.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 SAR 229

$39.79 MX$688

53.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 SAR 296

$78.5 MX$1,357

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 SAR 309

$87.1 MX$1,506

-5.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$442 SAR 1,657

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,427

$468 MX$8,090

-18.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 SAR 3,228

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-47.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$616 SAR 2,312

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-49.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,117 SAR 7,944

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-46.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,299 SAR 4,876

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-80.01%

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 Arar: May 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $442 in Arar 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 Arar versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Arar vs $249 in Playa del Carmen – so Arar 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,221 in Arar, $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 6% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,832 per month in Arar 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 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 52% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $358 per month in Arar and $201 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 $1,221, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,221 in Arar 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 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.