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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,300 per month in Dhahran vs $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Dhahran vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Dhahran vs $3,374 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dhahran and Playa del Carmen have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Dhahran and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 5% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.42 SAR 20.34

$11.71 MX$199

-53.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.08 SAR 151

$46.59 MX$791

-13.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.04 SAR 22.70

$11.65 MX$198

-48.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 SAR 7.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Cappuccino

$3.99 SAR 14.97

$4.09 MX$69.5

-2.44%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.62

$1.37 MX$23.34

-48.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 SAR 0.75

$0.83 MX$14.16

-75.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 SAR 5.93

$1.73 MX$29.33

-8.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$2.26 MX$38.39

-58.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 SAR 7.50

$1.77 MX$30.05

12.99%

Eggs

$3.90 SAR 14.64

$2.73 MX$46.41

42.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 SAR 33.05

$9.18 MX$156

-4.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SAR 41.92

$8.92 MX$151

25.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.73 SAR 51.6

$12.60 MX$214

8.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 SAR 7.91

$3.02 MX$51.3

-30.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.19

$1.57 MX$26.68

-12.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 SAR 6.78

$2.13 MX$36.10

-15.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$2.26 MX$38.46

-23.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$2.00 MX$34.04

-24.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 SAR 3.54

$2.06 MX$35.06

-54.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 SAR 7.38

$1.18 MX$20.04

66.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 SAR 3.46

$1.20 MX$20.45

-23.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.81 SAR 18.05

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.64 SAR 6.14

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 SAR 8.97

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.64 SAR 21.17

$4.63 MX$78.7

21.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 SAR 2.89

$0.57 MX$9.74

35.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.31 SAR 4.91

$5.45 MX$92.5

-75.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.35 SAR 12.57

$3.70 MX$62.9

-9.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.45 SAR 35.48

$5.98 MX$102

58.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.55 MX$26.38

-59.35%

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

$53.4K SAR 200.5K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

139.18%

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

$20.4K SAR 76.8K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-21.20%

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

$60.2 SAR 226

$89.1 MX$1,514

-32.45%

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

$43.47 SAR 163

$25.04 MX$425

73.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 SAR 243

$31.50 MX$535

105.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$195 SAR 731

$67.8 MX$1,151

187.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$91.4 SAR 343

$28.92 MX$491

215.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.61 SAR 39.82

$5.05 MX$85.8

110.10%

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

$65.8 SAR 247

$225 MX$3,820

-70.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.2K SAR 49.5K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

212.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 SAR 189

$47.44 MX$806

6.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.32 SAR 159

$44.98 MX$764

-5.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 SAR 285

$82.0 MX$1,392

-7.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 SAR 333

$92.1 MX$1,564

-3.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 SAR 1,330

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-66.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$447 SAR 1,678

$405 MX$6,884

10.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,854 SAR 10.7K

$749 MX$12.7K

281.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.45

-60.70%

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

Last update for Dhahran: September 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $354 in Dhahran versus $1,069 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 281% higher in Dhahran. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $232 vs $277 – making Dhahran 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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,950 per month in Dhahran and $1,940 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 Playa del Carmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 19% cheaper in Dhahran – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Dhahran and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,293, than in Dhahran at $1,300. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dhahran it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Playa del Carmen costs $1,293 versus $1,300 in Dhahran. 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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Dhahran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.