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 $1,198 per month in Arar vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,849 per month in Arar vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,501 per month in Arar vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

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

Both Arar and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Arar 10% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 SAR 24.55

$11.99 MX$209

-45.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.74 SAR 168

$41.78 MX$728

7.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.91 SAR 29.69

$10.75 MX$187

-26.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Cappuccino

$3.70 SAR 13.88

$3.50 MX$60.9

5.71%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.77

$1.45 MX$25.22

-48.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.88 MX$15.41

-67.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.09

$1.43 MX$24.94

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 SAR 3.57

$1.84 MX$31.99

-48.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 SAR 9.00

$1.57 MX$27.31

52.87%

Eggs

$2.48 SAR 9.31

$2.51 MX$43.74

-1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.64

$8.28 MX$144

-17.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.35 SAR 27.59

$8.43 MX$147

-12.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 SAR 48.67

$10.68 MX$186

21.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.16

$2.61 MX$45.43

-16.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.91

$1.44 MX$25.04

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.96 MX$34.16

-14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.88

$2.09 MX$36.47

-25.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.85 MX$32.24

-30.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.74

$2.17 MX$37.74

-41.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 SAR 4.65

$1.03 MX$17.96

20.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.07 MX$18.70

-44.86%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.97 SAR 11.17

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 SAR 7.64

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.99 SAR 26.25

$4.10 MX$71.4

70.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 SAR 3.91

$0.51 MX$8.87

103.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.26 SAR 151

$26.04 MX$453

54.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 SAR 9.80

$3.23 MX$56.3

-19.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.98

$2.41 MX$41.88

-22.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.54 SAR 50.9

$3.23 MX$56.2

319.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.32 MX$23.00

-52.27%

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

$26.6K SAR 99.9K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-10.40%

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

$22.0K SAR 82.8K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-6.83%

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

$106 SAR 397

$82.0 MX$1,428

28.76%

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

$33.50 SAR 126

$22.95 MX$400

45.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 SAR 283

$30.11 MX$524

150.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.6 SAR 333

$52.0 MX$905

70.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.68 SAR 134

$18.53 MX$323

92.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.91 SAR 59.7

$4.98 MX$86.6

219.48%

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

$351 SAR 1,317

$197 MX$3,438

77.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,890 SAR 25.9K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

29.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$35.60 MX$620

66.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.8 SAR 225

$40.33 MX$702

48.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.6 SAR 292

$78.8 MX$1,371

-1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 SAR 312

$88.9 MX$1,549

-6.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$433 SAR 1,628

$947 MX$16.5K

-54.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,439

$474 MX$8,254

-19.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 SAR 3,170

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-48.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$627 SAR 2,355

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-48.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,082 SAR 7,816

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-48.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,467 SAR 5,507

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-77.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $433 in Arar 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 $45.00 in Arar versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $195 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: $1,198 in Arar, $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 $1,797 per month in Arar 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 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 55% less in Arar. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $351 per month in Arar and $197 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 $1,198, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. 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 $1,198 in Arar 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 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.