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: $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,666 in Jubail versus $2,126 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,282 in Jubail versus $2,980 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Jubail costs roughly 17% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Jubail 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.65 SAR 24.94

$11.87 MX$204

-43.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.62 SAR 149

$42.90 MX$736

-7.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 SAR 33.88

$10.65 MX$183

-15.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.85 SAR 6.94

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 SAR 10.82

Cappuccino

$3.37 SAR 12.63

$3.45 MX$59.2

-2.32%

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

$0.84 SAR 3.14

$1.50 MX$25.81

-44.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 SAR 1.06

$0.95 MX$16.28

-70.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$1.38 MX$23.61

33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SAR 3.72

$1.85 MX$31.70

-46.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

$1.61 MX$27.65

0.62%

Eggs

$2.45 SAR 9.19

$2.59 MX$44.51

-5.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.89 SAR 29.61

$8.26 MX$142

-4.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.44

$8.37 MX$144

-15.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.93 SAR 41.00

$10.66 MX$183

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 SAR 8.88

$2.63 MX$45.12

-9.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 SAR 6.50

$1.49 MX$25.53

16.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 SAR 6.17

$1.92 MX$32.94

-14.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SAR 5.30

$2.09 MX$35.81

-32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 SAR 4.39

$1.86 MX$31.88

-37.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 SAR 5.03

$2.26 MX$38.81

-40.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SAR 5.12

$1.06 MX$18.23

28.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 SAR 2.23

$1.09 MX$18.67

-45.87%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.99 SAR 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 SAR 7.26

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.10 SAR 26.65

$4.15 MX$71.2

71.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.89 SAR 3.35

$0.54 MX$9.30

64.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.52 SAR 95.8

$26.94 MX$462

-5.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 SAR 14.70

$3.13 MX$53.7

25.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 SAR 6.89

$2.51 MX$43.09

-26.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.24 SAR 64.7

$3.15 MX$54.1

447.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.64 SAR 2.41

$1.27 MX$21.88

-49.61%

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

$20.1K SAR 75.4K

$30.4K MX$521.3K

-33.88%

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

$24.0K SAR 90.1K

$23.6K MX$404.5K

1.83%

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

$99.1 SAR 372

$83.0 MX$1,425

19.36%

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

$31.64 SAR 119

$22.71 MX$390

39.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 SAR 239

$29.46 MX$506

115.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.7 SAR 333

$51.0 MX$875

73.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 SAR 133

$18.33 MX$315

92.96%

Cinema Ticket

$13.80 SAR 51.8

$4.93 MX$84.5

179.92%

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

$203 SAR 762

$197 MX$3,386

2.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,380 SAR 31.4K

$5,280 MX$90.6K

58.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.05 SAR 143

$36.90 MX$633

3.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.6 SAR 231

$39.89 MX$685

54.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 SAR 316

$80.0 MX$1,373

5.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 SAR 300

$89.5 MX$1,536

-10.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$405 SAR 1,519

$956 MX$16.4K

-57.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$281 SAR 1,055

$477 MX$8,189

-41.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$646 SAR 2,425

$1,646 MX$28.3K

-60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$504 SAR 1,891

$1,225 MX$21.0K

-58.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,551 SAR 9,573

$3,918 MX$67.2K

-34.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,285 SAR 4,821

$6,459 MX$110.9K

-80.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,598 SAR 5,997

$667 MX$11.4K

139.59%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $405 in Jubail and $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jubail pays 140% 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 $250 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 21% 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 140% 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: $405 in Jubail versus $956 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,051 per month in Jubail versus $1,271 in Playa del Carmen – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Jubail runs roughly 6% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,051 in Jubail versus $1,271 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 $1,051 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 21% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.