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 $1,332 per month in Dhahran vs $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,029 per month in Dhahran vs $2,181 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Dhahran vs $3,065 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Dhahran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Dhahran and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Dhahran 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 SAR 19.64

$11.73 MX$203

-55.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.50 SAR 152

$41.62 MX$720

-2.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.14 SAR 26.78

$10.64 MX$184

-32.89%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.68

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

Cappuccino

$3.77 SAR 14.14

$3.52 MX$60.9

7.10%

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

$0.74 SAR 2.78

$1.51 MX$26.12

-50.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 SAR 0.63

$0.97 MX$16.84

-82.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 SAR 5.60

$1.38 MX$23.93

7.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.89 MX$32.72

-38.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

$1.64 MX$28.32

32.93%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.51 MX$43.34

-4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.83 SAR 25.62

$8.34 MX$144

-18.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 SAR 33.18

$8.34 MX$144

6.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 SAR 50.7

$10.73 MX$186

25.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$2.60 MX$45.04

-13.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.20

$1.46 MX$25.20

-5.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.90 MX$32.87

-14.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.37 SAR 5.13

$2.08 MX$35.91

-34.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SAR 4.63

$1.78 MX$30.71

-30.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$2.19 MX$37.80

-59.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.14

$1.04 MX$17.99

5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 SAR 2.15

$1.08 MX$18.62

-47.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.84 SAR 18.16

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 SAR 35.72

$4.08 MX$70.6

133.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 SAR 3.93

$0.51 MX$8.81

105.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.72 SAR 153

$26.46 MX$458

53.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 SAR 5.08

$3.26 MX$56.4

-58.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.45 SAR 9.18

$2.49 MX$43.09

-1.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.53 SAR 50.8

$3.25 MX$56.2

316.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.65 SAR 2.43

$1.31 MX$22.61

-50.38%

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

$32.4K SAR 121.8K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

7.16%

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

$24.3K SAR 91.1K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

3.59%

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

$104 SAR 391

$82.9 MX$1,433

25.65%

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

$36.18 SAR 136

$22.22 MX$384

62.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 SAR 276

$29.34 MX$507

150.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$183 SAR 688

$51.6 MX$893

254.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.00 SAR 135

$18.32 MX$317

96.51%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 SAR 44.66

$5.07 MX$87.6

134.71%

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

$414 SAR 1,553

$201 MX$3,473

106.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,909 SAR 37.2K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

90.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 SAR 223

$36.92 MX$639

60.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$76.7 SAR 288

$39.79 MX$688

92.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 SAR 317

$78.5 MX$1,357

7.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 SAR 367

$87.1 MX$1,506

12.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$439 SAR 1,648

$973 MX$16.8K

-54.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$383 SAR 1,436

$468 MX$8,090

-18.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 SAR 3,138

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-49.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$615 SAR 2,308

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-49.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,110 SAR 4,166

$3,946 MX$68.3K

-71.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,066 SAR 3,999

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-83.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,893 SAR 10.9K

$664 MX$11.5K

335.79%

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 Dhahran: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $439 in Dhahran versus $973 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 336% higher in Dhahran, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Dhahran versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $200 vs $249 – 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

Dhahran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, 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 $1,998 per month in Dhahran and $1,945 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,332 in Dhahran and $1,297 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 54% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Dhahran at $1,332. 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 $1,297 versus $1,332 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.