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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,840 in Dammam versus $2,130 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,465 in Dammam versus $2,999 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 4% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.68 SAR 25.04

$11.67 MX$202

-42.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.64 SAR 149

$41.88 MX$726

-5.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.01 SAR 30.05

$10.40 MX$180

-22.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.78 SAR 6.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.93

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$3.61 MX$62.6

-1.39%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.03

$1.47 MX$25.45

-44.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 SAR 1.14

$0.91 MX$15.80

-67.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$52.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 MX$77.4

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.38 MX$23.83

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 SAR 3.76

$1.84 MX$31.93

-45.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.89

$1.61 MX$27.82

47.20%

Eggs

$2.51 SAR 9.41

$2.57 MX$44.52

-2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.73 SAR 25.24

$8.49 MX$147

-20.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 SAR 28.26

$8.49 MX$147

-11.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.78 SAR 47.94

$10.99 MX$190

16.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 SAR 8.54

$2.73 MX$47.25

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$1.50 MX$25.92

10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

$1.96 MX$33.93

-18.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 SAR 5.84

$2.12 MX$36.70

-26.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.60

$1.86 MX$32.30

-33.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 SAR 4.96

$2.17 MX$37.67

-39.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.07 MX$18.59

21.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.35

$1.05 MX$18.18

-40.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.90 SAR 10.89

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.52

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 SAR 26.75

$4.19 MX$72.6

70.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.28 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 MX$28.87

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 MX$43.12

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 SAR 4.11

$0.54 MX$9.37

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.58 SAR 148

$26.27 MX$455

50.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.73 SAR 10.23

$3.10 MX$53.8

-11.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$2.46 MX$42.66

-21.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.3

$3.24 MX$56.1

314.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.40

$1.26 MX$21.83

-49.21%

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

$26.2K SAR 98.2K

$30.2K MX$522.8K

-13.19%

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

$23.1K SAR 86.7K

$23.4K MX$406.3K

-1.36%

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

$106 SAR 397

$84.0 MX$1,456

26.00%

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

$33.23 SAR 125

$22.21 MX$385

49.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 SAR 264

$29.65 MX$514

137.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.3 SAR 361

$52.6 MX$912

82.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.28 SAR 136

$18.34 MX$318

97.82%

Cinema Ticket

$14.86 SAR 55.7

$4.95 MX$85.7

200.20%

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

$346 SAR 1,298

$198 MX$3,438

74.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,416 SAR 27.8K

$5,322 MX$92.2K

39.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 SAR 212

$35.95 MX$623

56.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 SAR 240

$40.06 MX$694

59.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.5 SAR 317

$78.8 MX$1,365

7.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 SAR 307

$86.5 MX$1,499

-5.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 SAR 1,606

$977 MX$16.9K

-56.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$382 SAR 1,434

$471 MX$8,158

-18.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 SAR 3,288

$1,595 MX$27.6K

-45.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,374

$1,215 MX$21.1K

-47.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,776 SAR 6,661

$4,032 MX$69.9K

-55.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,107 SAR 4,150

$6,579 MX$114.0K

-83.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$714 MX$12.4K

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 Dammam: April 22, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $428 in Dammam and $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40 in Dammam vs $42 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $252 per month, with Dammam cheaper across the board.

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

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

Dammam is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,823 in Dammam and $1,891 in Playa del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $428 in Dammam versus $977 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,215 per month in Dammam versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,215 in Dammam versus $1,261 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dammam is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Dammam and Playa del Carmen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.