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 $1,218 per month in Jeddah vs $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,846 per month in Jeddah vs $2,137 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,474 per month in Jeddah vs $3,017 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Jeddah is about 3% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Jeddah and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Jeddah 9% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.51 SAR 24.46

$11.99 MX$209

-45.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.65 SAR 149

$41.78 MX$728

-5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.80 SAR 29.29

$10.75 MX$187

-27.44%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.16 SAR 8.10

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.90

Cappuccino

$3.78 SAR 14.20

$3.50 MX$60.9

8.00%

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

$0.70 SAR 2.64

$1.45 MX$25.22

-51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 SAR 0.94

$0.88 MX$15.41

-71.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 SAR 6.32

$1.43 MX$24.94

17.48%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.53

$1.84 MX$31.99

-48.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 SAR 8.38

$1.57 MX$27.31

42.04%

Eggs

$2.63 SAR 9.88

$2.51 MX$43.74

4.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.42 SAR 27.86

$8.28 MX$144

-10.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.77 SAR 29.19

$8.43 MX$147

-7.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.38 SAR 46.50

$10.68 MX$186

15.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.18 SAR 8.19

$2.61 MX$45.43

-16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.89

$1.44 MX$25.04

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 SAR 5.80

$1.96 MX$34.16

-21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.94

$2.09 MX$36.47

-24.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 SAR 4.98

$1.85 MX$32.24

-28.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 SAR 4.68

$2.17 MX$37.74

-42.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 SAR 4.15

$1.03 MX$17.96

6.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 SAR 2.07

$1.07 MX$18.70

-48.60%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.21 SAR 15.79

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 SAR 7.11

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 SAR 9.36

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 SAR 25.51

$4.10 MX$71.4

65.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.30 SAR 4.87

$0.51 MX$8.87

154.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.89 SAR 150

$26.04 MX$453

53.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 SAR 11.89

$3.23 MX$56.3

-1.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.41 MX$41.88

-23.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.04 SAR 56.5

$3.23 MX$56.2

365.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.24

$1.32 MX$23.00

-54.55%

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

$26.4K SAR 99.2K

$29.7K MX$517.1K

-11.02%

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

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

$23.7K MX$412.0K

-9.95%

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

$108 SAR 406

$82.0 MX$1,428

31.80%

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

$32.30 SAR 121

$22.95 MX$400

40.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.6 SAR 261

$30.11 MX$524

130.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.1 SAR 342

$52.0 MX$905

75.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.14 SAR 170

$18.53 MX$323

143.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 SAR 49.62

$4.98 MX$86.6

165.26%

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

$407 SAR 1,527

$197 MX$3,438

105.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,378 SAR 24.0K

$5,336 MX$92.9K

19.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 SAR 235

$35.60 MX$620

76.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.9 SAR 217

$40.33 MX$702

43.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 SAR 356

$78.8 MX$1,371

20.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 SAR 315

$88.9 MX$1,549

-5.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,903

$947 MX$16.5K

-46.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$384 SAR 1,442

$474 MX$8,254

-18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$904 SAR 3,395

$1,644 MX$28.6K

-45.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$601 SAR 2,256

$1,211 MX$21.1K

-50.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,646 SAR 6,179

$4,056 MX$70.6K

-59.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,015 SAR 3,812

$6,470 MX$112.7K

-84.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 SAR 6,233

$654 MX$11.4K

153.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.5

11.42

-60.60%

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

Last update for Jeddah: July 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $507 in Jeddah versus $947 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 154% higher in Jeddah, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Jeddah versus $42.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $196 vs $249 – making Jeddah 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,218 in Jeddah, $1,256 in Playa del Carmen – roughly 3% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,827 per month in Jeddah and $1,884 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 Jeddah, 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 $40.00 in Jeddah and $42.00 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 $1,218 in Jeddah and $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jeddah, where all-in costs run around $1,218, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Jeddah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,218 in Jeddah to $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Jeddah. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.