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 $1,184 per month in Buraydah vs $1,271 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,991 per month in Buraydah vs $2,126 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,797 per month in Buraydah vs $2,980 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Buraydah is about 7% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Buraydah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Buraydah 12% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.42 SAR 46.59

$11.87 MX$204

4.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.45 SAR 152

$42.90 MX$736

-5.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.16 SAR 26.88

$10.65 MX$183

-32.77%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.42

Cappuccino

$3.69 SAR 13.85

$3.45 MX$59.2

6.96%

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

$0.79 SAR 2.95

$1.50 MX$25.81

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.95 MX$16.28

-72.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.38 MX$23.61

18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.08 SAR 4.05

$1.85 MX$31.70

-41.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$1.61 MX$27.65

55.90%

Eggs

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$2.59 MX$44.51

1.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.53 SAR 32.00

$8.26 MX$142

3.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.61 SAR 24.79

$8.37 MX$144

-21.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.69 SAR 51.4

$10.66 MX$183

28.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 SAR 9.52

$2.63 MX$45.12

-3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.49 MX$25.53

20.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 SAR 5.45

$1.92 MX$32.94

-24.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.24

$2.09 MX$35.81

-20.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 SAR 5.47

$1.86 MX$31.88

-21.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.87

$2.26 MX$38.81

-30.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 SAR 4.38

$1.06 MX$18.23

10.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 SAR 2.45

$1.09 MX$18.67

-40.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.81 SAR 6.77

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 SAR 5.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 SAR 9.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.56 SAR 24.63

$4.15 MX$71.2

58.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 SAR 4.10

$0.54 MX$9.30

101.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.40 SAR 152

$26.94 MX$462

49.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 SAR 10.16

$3.13 MX$53.7

-13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

$2.51 MX$43.09

-26.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.84 SAR 63.2

$3.15 MX$54.1

434.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.42

$1.27 MX$21.88

-48.82%

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

$26.5K SAR 99.3K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-12.83%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.0K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

2.93%

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

$75.8 SAR 284

$83.0 MX$1,425

-8.67%

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

$30.31 SAR 114

$22.71 MX$390

33.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.7 SAR 261

$29.46 MX$506

136.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 SAR 380

$51.0 MX$875

98.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.15 SAR 136

$18.33 MX$315

97.22%

Cinema Ticket

$16.04 SAR 60.2

$4.93 MX$84.5

225.35%

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

$267 SAR 1,002

$197 MX$3,386

35.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,775 SAR 14.2K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

-28.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 SAR 196

$36.90 MX$633

41.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.3 SAR 271

$39.89 MX$685

81.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.3 SAR 309

$80.0 MX$1,373

2.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.4 SAR 272

$89.5 MX$1,536

-19.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$631 SAR 2,368

$956 MX$16.4K

-34.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$343 SAR 1,287

$477 MX$8,189

-28.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$760 SAR 2,851

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-53.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$784 SAR 2,943

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-35.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,360 SAR 8,854

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-39.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,335 SAR 5,008

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-79.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,829 SAR 10.6K

$667 MX$11.4K

324.10%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $631 in Buraydah versus $956 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 324% 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 $40.00 in Buraydah versus $43.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $250 – 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 7% 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 $1,776 per month in Buraydah and $1,906 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 $1,184 in Buraydah and $1,271 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 $1,184, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. 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 $1,184 versus $1,271 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.