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: $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,650 in Jubail versus $2,184 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,251 in Jubail versus $3,082 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 18% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.48 SAR 24.31

$11.94 MX$209

-45.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.19 SAR 151

$42.75 MX$748

-5.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.29 SAR 34.84

$10.59 MX$185

-12.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 SAR 10.70

Cappuccino

$3.39 SAR 12.71

$3.62 MX$63.4

-6.35%

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

$0.83 SAR 3.10

$1.47 MX$25.69

-43.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 SAR 0.97

$0.94 MX$16.51

-72.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.43 MX$24.94

23.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SAR 3.68

$1.88 MX$32.97

-47.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 SAR 6.11

$1.63 MX$28.50

Eggs

$2.52 SAR 9.44

$2.64 MX$46.26

-4.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.20 SAR 30.76

$8.21 MX$144

-0.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 SAR 25.85

$8.29 MX$145

-16.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.19 SAR 41.96

$11.10 MX$194

0.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 SAR 8.72

$2.65 MX$46.40

-12.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 SAR 6.40

$1.50 MX$26.26

14.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 SAR 5.91

$1.99 MX$34.79

-20.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 SAR 5.37

$2.08 MX$36.33

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.12 SAR 4.20

$1.79 MX$31.29

-37.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 SAR 4.86

$2.18 MX$38.09

-40.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 SAR 5.17

$1.08 MX$18.84

27.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 SAR 2.39

$1.04 MX$18.15

-38.46%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.91 SAR 10.92

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.42

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.02 SAR 26.33

$3.97 MX$69.5

76.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.97 SAR 3.63

$0.52 MX$9.07

86.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.13 SAR 94.2

$26.97 MX$472

-6.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 SAR 15.32

$3.14 MX$55.0

29.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

$2.40 MX$42.04

-22.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.01 SAR 63.8

$3.09 MX$54.0

450.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.63 SAR 2.37

$1.27 MX$22.28

-50.39%

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

$20.2K SAR 75.9K

$30.9K MX$540.4K

-34.45%

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

$24.2K SAR 90.8K

$23.3K MX$408.0K

3.81%

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

$98.8 SAR 371

$82.0 MX$1,435

20.49%

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

$31.97 SAR 120

$22.45 MX$393

42.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 SAR 244

$29.66 MX$519

119.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.0 SAR 330

$51.9 MX$908

69.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.90 SAR 135

$18.67 MX$327

92.29%

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 SAR 52.1

$4.97 MX$87.0

179.48%

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

$202 SAR 759

$198 MX$3,462

2.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,378 SAR 31.4K

$5,273 MX$92.3K

58.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.63 SAR 145

$36.34 MX$636

6.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.2 SAR 233

$40.05 MX$701

55.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 SAR 313

$79.9 MX$1,398

4.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 SAR 298

$88.9 MX$1,555

-10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 SAR 1,513

$963 MX$16.9K

-58.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$277 SAR 1,039

$465 MX$8,133

-40.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$655 SAR 2,456

$1,596 MX$27.9K

-58.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$505 SAR 1,892

$1,209 MX$21.2K

-58.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,522 SAR 9,458

$3,942 MX$69.0K

-36.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,316 SAR 4,934

$6,448 MX$112.8K

-79.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,602 SAR 6,008

$720 MX$12.6K

122.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.42

-53.33%

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

Last update for Jubail: April 26, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $403 in Jubail and $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 122% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Jubail vs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $251 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 23% 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.

Jubail pays 122% more on average, 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: $403 in Jubail versus $963 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,050 per month in Jubail versus $1,287 in Playa del Carmen – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 7% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,050 in Jubail versus $1,287 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 $1,050 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 23% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.