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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Buraydah vs $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,961 per month in Buraydah vs $2,125 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,711 per month in Buraydah vs $2,990 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Buraydah is about 4% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Buraydah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Buraydah 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.70 SAR 47.69

$11.72 MX$203

8.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.24 SAR 147

$41.89 MX$725

-6.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.22 SAR 27.11

$10.51 MX$182

-31.30%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

Cappuccino

$3.68 SAR 13.81

$3.59 MX$62.0

2.51%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.76

$1.51 MX$26.10

-50.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.92 MX$15.83

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.15

$1.40 MX$24.16

17.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$1.88 MX$32.60

-44.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.45 SAR 9.20

$1.56 MX$26.97

57.05%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.44

$2.61 MX$45.14

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 SAR 32.03

$8.32 MX$144

2.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.63 SAR 24.90

$8.35 MX$145

-20.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.90 SAR 52.2

$10.86 MX$188

27.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 SAR 9.66

$2.71 MX$46.93

-5.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

$1.51 MX$26.04

20.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 SAR 5.26

$1.87 MX$32.41

-25.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.74 SAR 6.53

$2.19 MX$37.89

-20.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 SAR 5.32

$1.86 MX$32.14

-23.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.79

$2.23 MX$38.59

-30.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 SAR 4.36

$1.07 MX$18.48

8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 SAR 2.61

$1.09 MX$18.79

-35.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 SAR 9.40

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.26 SAR 23.51

$4.19 MX$72.4

49.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.54 MX$9.37

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.27 SAR 147

$26.16 MX$453

50.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SAR 10.04

$3.08 MX$53.3

-13.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 SAR 7.19

$2.40 MX$41.61

-20.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.48 SAR 61.9

$3.13 MX$54.1

426.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.31 MX$22.69

-51.91%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.5K

$29.8K MX$515.7K

-11.11%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.7K

$23.3K MX$403.5K

3.56%

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

$77.9 SAR 293

$81.3 MX$1,406

-4.13%

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

$30.14 SAR 113

$22.56 MX$390

33.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 SAR 269

$30.05 MX$520

138.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 SAR 380

$52.9 MX$915

91.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.35 SAR 137

$18.39 MX$318

97.66%

Cinema Ticket

$15.67 SAR 58.9

$4.92 MX$85.1

218.50%

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

$267 SAR 1,003

$201 MX$3,474

32.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,749 SAR 14.1K

$5,175 MX$89.5K

-27.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 SAR 195

$35.92 MX$622

44.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.8 SAR 274

$40.13 MX$694

81.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.5 SAR 302

$79.7 MX$1,379

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.8 SAR 266

$86.5 MX$1,496

-18.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$637 SAR 2,393

$978 MX$16.9K

-34.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,289

$470 MX$8,140

-27.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$751 SAR 2,818

$1,651 MX$28.6K

-54.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$786 SAR 2,953

$1,203 MX$20.8K

-34.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,399 SAR 9,009

$3,953 MX$68.4K

-39.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,357 SAR 5,095

$6,607 MX$114.3K

-79.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,555 SAR 9,594

$677 MX$11.7K

277.57%

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 Buraydah: July 27, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $637 in Buraydah versus $978 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.

Salaries run about 278% higher in Buraydah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Buraydah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $252 – making Buraydah 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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 4% more than Buraydah, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,817 per month in Buraydah and $1,890 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 Buraydah, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,212 in Buraydah and $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Buraydah. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Buraydah, where all-in costs run around $1,212, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. In Buraydah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Buraydah costs $1,212 versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Buraydah. 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.