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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,367 per month in Jeddah vs $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,104 per month in Jeddah vs $2,334 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,842 per month in Jeddah vs $3,362 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jeddah costs about 5% more than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jeddah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 1% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.97

$11.96 MX$203

-44.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.3 SAR 200

$47.38 MX$804

12.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.34 SAR 31.31

$11.75 MX$199

-29.02%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 SAR 9.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 SAR 10.03

Cappuccino

$3.54 SAR 13.31

$4.12 MX$70.0

-14.08%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.78

$1.40 MX$23.74

-27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 SAR 0.89

$0.91 MX$15.48

-73.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.30

$1.68 MX$28.44

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 SAR 4.99

$2.15 MX$36.48

-38.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.36

$1.77 MX$30.10

25.99%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.82 MX$47.76

-15.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 SAR 24.76

$9.20 MX$156

-28.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 SAR 30.17

$9.23 MX$157

-13.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.92 SAR 48.51

$12.64 MX$214

2.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 SAR 8.00

$2.95 MX$50.1

-27.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 SAR 6.36

$1.58 MX$26.79

6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

$2.22 MX$37.70

-31.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.12

$2.36 MX$40.09

-30.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.99 MX$33.81

-41.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 SAR 5.06

$1.98 MX$33.58

-31.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 SAR 4.09

$1.24 MX$21.04

-12.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 SAR 2.01

$1.21 MX$20.55

-55.37%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.18 SAR 15.68

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.64 SAR 24.94

$4.60 MX$78.1

44.35%

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)

$1.14 SAR 4.27

$0.60 MX$10.22

90.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.4 SAR 208

$29.70 MX$504

86.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 SAR 12.06

$5.24 MX$88.8

-38.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 SAR 6.61

$3.65 MX$61.9

-51.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.94 SAR 52.4

$5.78 MX$98.1

141.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.54 MX$26.09

-61.04%

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

$48.1K SAR 180.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

111.03%

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

$21.9K SAR 82.1K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-15.31%

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

$100 SAR 377

$90.7 MX$1,538

10.79%

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

$37.60 SAR 141

$25.19 MX$427

49.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 SAR 249

$31.75 MX$539

108.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.3 SAR 331

$68.8 MX$1,167

28.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.96 SAR 154

$29.37 MX$498

39.46%

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 SAR 45.11

$4.86 MX$82.5

147.12%

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

$720 SAR 2,703

$226 MX$3,828

218.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K SAR 59.2K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

275.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.0 SAR 259

$47.38 MX$804

45.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.9 SAR 221

$43.45 MX$737

35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.3 SAR 369

$80.2 MX$1,361

22.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.8 SAR 364

$91.4 MX$1,550

5.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$769 SAR 2,886

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-29.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$523 SAR 1,965

$409 MX$6,933

28.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 SAR 5,041

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-31.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 SAR 3,207

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-33.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,732 SAR 6,504

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-57.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,131 SAR 4,247

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-83.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,622 SAR 6,090

$773 MX$13.1K

109.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

11.45

-52.93%

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

Last update for Jeddah: September 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $769 in Jeddah versus $1,086 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 110% higher in Jeddah, 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 $53.0 in Jeddah versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Groceries tell a different story – $199 in Jeddah vs $278 in Playa del Carmen – so Jeddah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,367 in Jeddah, $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 5% apart. Jeddah costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,050 per month in Jeddah and $1,958 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53.0 in Jeddah and $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,367 in Jeddah and $1,305 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,305, than in Jeddah at $1,367. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jeddah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,305 in Playa del Carmen to $1,367 in Jeddah. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Jeddah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.