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: $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,878 in Dammam versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,530 in Dammam versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Dammam costs roughly 6% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Dammam 11% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.59 SAR 24.74

$11.96 MX$203

-44.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.22 SAR 147

$47.38 MX$804

-17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 SAR 29.87

$11.75 MX$199

-32.34%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

Cappuccino

$3.56 SAR 13.36

$4.12 MX$70.0

-13.59%

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

$0.80 SAR 3.00

$1.40 MX$23.74

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.04

$0.91 MX$15.48

-69.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.68 MX$28.44

-2.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 SAR 3.95

$2.15 MX$36.48

-51.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.34 SAR 8.79

$1.77 MX$30.10

32.20%

Eggs

$2.46 SAR 9.23

$2.82 MX$47.76

-12.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.75 SAR 25.33

$9.20 MX$156

-26.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.30 SAR 27.41

$9.23 MX$157

-20.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.01 SAR 48.85

$12.64 MX$214

2.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

$2.95 MX$50.1

-18.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.58 MX$26.79

3.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$2.22 MX$37.70

-26.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.36 MX$40.09

-33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.99 MX$33.81

-38.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 SAR 5.21

$1.98 MX$33.58

-29.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$1.24 MX$21.04

4.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.21 MX$20.55

-51.24%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.94 SAR 11.04

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.57

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 SAR 7.53

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 SAR 27.75

$4.60 MX$78.1

60.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 MX$28.70

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 MX$47.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 SAR 4.06

$0.60 MX$10.22

80.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.25 SAR 151

$29.70 MX$504

35.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 SAR 10.08

$5.24 MX$88.8

-48.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 SAR 7.21

$3.65 MX$61.9

-47.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.44 SAR 50.5

$5.78 MX$98.1

132.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.54 MX$26.09

-61.69%

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

$26.1K SAR 98.1K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

14.60%

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

$23.5K SAR 88.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-8.89%

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

$106 SAR 397

$90.7 MX$1,538

16.69%

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

$33.13 SAR 124

$25.19 MX$427

31.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 SAR 264

$31.75 MX$539

121.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.6 SAR 359

$68.8 MX$1,167

38.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.61 SAR 138

$29.37 MX$498

24.65%

Cinema Ticket

$14.31 SAR 53.8

$4.86 MX$82.5

194.44%

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

$349 SAR 1,310

$226 MX$3,828

54.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,538 SAR 28.3K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

79.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 SAR 211

$47.38 MX$804

18.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.5 SAR 242

$43.45 MX$737

48.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.1 SAR 319

$80.2 MX$1,361

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.0 SAR 308

$91.4 MX$1,550

-10.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 SAR 1,646

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-59.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,441

$409 MX$6,933

-6.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$884 SAR 3,321

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-55.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 SAR 2,379

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-50.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,731 SAR 6,502

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-57.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,102 SAR 4,139

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$773 MX$13.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.42

11.45

-61.40%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dammam: September 7, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Dammam and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Dammam vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $197 vs $278 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 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,840 in Dammam and $1,958 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: $438 in Dammam versus $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,227 per month in Dammam versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dammam runs roughly 36% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,227 in Dammam versus $1,305 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 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.