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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,711 in Jubail versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,316 in Jubail versus $3,362 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 15% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 20% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.81 SAR 25.59

$11.96 MX$203

-43.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.68 SAR 153

$47.38 MX$804

-14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 SAR 33.67

$11.75 MX$199

-23.74%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$3.96 SAR 14.85

$4.12 MX$70.0

-3.88%

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

$1.01 SAR 3.79

$1.40 MX$23.74

-27.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.96

$0.91 MX$15.48

-71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.21 MX$54.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 MX$120

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.68 MX$28.44

-6.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.15 MX$36.48

-33.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.03

$1.77 MX$30.10

-9.04%

Eggs

$2.14 SAR 8.03

$2.82 MX$47.76

-24.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 SAR 32.47

$9.20 MX$156

-5.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.21 SAR 23.31

$9.23 MX$157

-32.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.77 SAR 40.44

$12.64 MX$214

-14.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 SAR 8.13

$2.95 MX$50.1

-26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 SAR 6.70

$1.58 MX$26.79

13.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.92

$2.22 MX$37.70

-28.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 SAR 6.23

$2.36 MX$40.09

-29.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 SAR 4.84

$1.99 MX$33.81

-35.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.98 MX$33.58

-30.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

$1.24 MX$21.04

35.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 SAR 1.93

$1.21 MX$20.55

-57.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.91

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.83 SAR 25.63

$4.60 MX$78.1

48.48%

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)

$1.30 SAR 4.90

$0.60 MX$10.22

116.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.02 SAR 90.2

$29.70 MX$504

-19.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SAR 12.84

$5.24 MX$88.8

-34.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.73 SAR 10.24

$3.65 MX$61.9

-25.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.12 SAR 49.27

$5.78 MX$98.1

126.99%

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)

$45.4K SAR 170.7K

$22.8K MX$386.8K

99.29%

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

$20.8K SAR 78.3K

$25.8K MX$437.9K

-19.27%

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

$81.1 SAR 305

$90.7 MX$1,538

-10.51%

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

$27.49 SAR 103

$25.19 MX$427

9.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 SAR 249

$31.75 MX$539

109.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 SAR 384

$68.8 MX$1,167

48.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.95 SAR 150

$29.37 MX$498

36.02%

Cinema Ticket

$13.45 SAR 50.5

$4.86 MX$82.5

176.75%

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

$177 SAR 666

$226 MX$3,828

-21.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,825 SAR 29.4K

$4,194 MX$71.1K

86.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.23 SAR 155

$47.38 MX$804

-12.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 SAR 224

$43.45 MX$737

37.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.4 SAR 306

$80.2 MX$1,361

1.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.6 SAR 321

$91.4 MX$1,550

-6.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 SAR 1,595

$1,086 MX$18.4K

-60.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$293 SAR 1,100

$409 MX$6,933

-28.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 SAR 2,424

$1,972 MX$33.5K

-67.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 SAR 1,974

$1,281 MX$21.7K

-58.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,706 SAR 10.2K

$4,046 MX$68.6K

-33.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,386 SAR 5,205

$6,704 MX$113.7K

-79.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,016

$773 MX$13.1K

107.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.62

11.45

-50.92%

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

Last update for Jubail: September 5, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Jubail and $1,086 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $41.00 in Jubail vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $278 per month, with Jubail 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

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

Jubail wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Jubail the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 107% higher in Jubail, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $425 in Jubail 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 $1,107 per month in Jubail versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 24% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,107 in Jubail versus $1,305 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Jubail but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Jubail the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Jubail delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,107 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Jubail hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Jubail 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 Jubail gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.