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: $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,851 in Dammam versus $2,177 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,468 in Dammam versus $3,095 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 2% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.69 SAR 25.11

$11.95 MX$209

-44.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.71 SAR 149

$41.94 MX$734

-5.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SAR 29.75

$10.42 MX$182

-23.90%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 SAR 6.62

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 SAR 6.60

Cappuccino

$3.76 SAR 14.12

$3.51 MX$61.5

7.12%

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

$0.81 SAR 3.06

$1.52 MX$26.53

-46.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.05

$0.91 MX$15.93

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 MX$53.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 MX$76.5

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 SAR 6.10

$1.42 MX$24.86

14.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.83 MX$32.03

-44.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 SAR 8.52

$1.63 MX$28.60

39.26%

Eggs

$2.55 SAR 9.57

$2.54 MX$44.43

0.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 SAR 26.03

$8.57 MX$150

-19.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.44 SAR 27.92

$8.49 MX$149

-12.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.11 SAR 49.21

$10.80 MX$189

21.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.80

$2.75 MX$48.19

-14.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.44 MX$25.13

17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

$1.89 MX$33.00

-13.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$2.17 MX$37.96

-27.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.64

$1.78 MX$31.13

-30.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$2.22 MX$38.91

-38.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$1.07 MX$18.70

25.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 SAR 2.36

$1.08 MX$18.89

-41.67%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.83

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.81

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.03 SAR 26.40

$4.15 MX$72.5

69.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 MX$183

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 MX$30.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$45.16

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 SAR 3.98

$0.51 MX$8.98

107.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.58 SAR 152

$25.94 MX$454

56.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 SAR 9.75

$3.21 MX$56.2

-19.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

$2.50 MX$43.78

-25.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.17 SAR 49.44

$3.19 MX$55.7

312.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.26 MX$21.98

-50.00%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.6K

$29.7K MX$519.3K

-9.73%

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

$23.4K SAR 87.9K

$23.7K MX$414.3K

-1.12%

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

$103 SAR 386

$82.0 MX$1,435

25.38%

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

$34.12 SAR 128

$22.73 MX$398

50.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 SAR 268

$29.42 MX$515

142.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.3 SAR 358

$52.2 MX$913

82.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.74 SAR 134

$18.45 MX$323

93.71%

Cinema Ticket

$14.63 SAR 54.9

$4.93 MX$86.3

196.75%

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

$347 SAR 1,304

$202 MX$3,530

72.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,443 SAR 27.9K

$5,217 MX$91.3K

42.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.8 SAR 206

$35.93 MX$629

52.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.0 SAR 240

$40.33 MX$706

58.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.8 SAR 314

$79.9 MX$1,397

4.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 SAR 303

$89.3 MX$1,562

-9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 SAR 1,670

$948 MX$16.6K

-53.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$380 SAR 1,428

$465 MX$8,140

-18.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$881 SAR 3,305

$1,630 MX$28.5K

-45.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$617 SAR 2,314

$1,193 MX$20.9K

-48.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,773 SAR 6,657

$3,933 MX$68.8K

-54.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 SAR 4,100

$6,428 MX$112.4K

-83.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$658 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 Dammam: July 20, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $445 in Dammam and $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $40.00 in Dammam vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 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 2% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,849 in Dammam and $1,888 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: $445 in Dammam versus $948 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,233 per month in Dammam versus $1,259 in Playa del Carmen – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 56% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,233 in Dammam versus $1,259 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 2% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.