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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,881 in Mecca versus $2,137 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,721 in Mecca versus $3,017 in Playa del Carmen.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 22% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.88 SAR 18.32

$11.99 MX$210

-59.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.07 SAR 150

$41.78 MX$733

-4.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 SAR 34.60

$10.75 MX$189

-14.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 SAR 5.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 SAR 5.95

Cappuccino

$3.19 SAR 11.98

$3.50 MX$61.3

-8.86%

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

$0.91 SAR 3.41

$1.45 MX$25.41

-37.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.08

$0.88 MX$15.52

-67.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 SAR 6.25

$1.43 MX$25.12

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.84 MX$32.23

-51.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 SAR 8.49

$1.57 MX$27.51

43.95%

Eggs

$2.97 SAR 11.17

$2.51 MX$44.06

18.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.92 SAR 26.00

$8.28 MX$145

-16.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 SAR 32.23

$8.43 MX$148

1.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.57 SAR 51.0

$10.68 MX$187

27.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.67

$2.61 MX$45.76

-11.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 SAR 5.88

$1.44 MX$25.22

9.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 SAR 7.02

$1.96 MX$34.41

-4.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 SAR 7.63

$2.09 MX$36.74

-2.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 SAR 4.49

$1.85 MX$32.47

-35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.22 SAR 4.57

$2.17 MX$38.02

-43.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 SAR 3.94

$1.03 MX$18.09

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 SAR 2.46

$1.07 MX$18.84

-38.32%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.25 SAR 15.95

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 SAR 8.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 SAR 29.82

$4.10 MX$72.0

93.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$44.31

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 SAR 5.14

$0.51 MX$8.93

168.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.83 SAR 150

$26.04 MX$457

52.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.35 SAR 8.83

$3.23 MX$56.7

-27.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.88

$2.41 MX$42.19

-24.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.56 SAR 39.65

$3.23 MX$56.6

226.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.59 SAR 2.22

$1.32 MX$23.17

-55.30%

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

$26.3K SAR 98.8K

$29.7K MX$520.9K

-11.40%

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

$20.9K SAR 78.6K

$23.7K MX$415.0K

-11.58%

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

$77.1 SAR 289

$82.0 MX$1,439

-6.04%

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

$35.21 SAR 132

$22.95 MX$403

53.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.3 SAR 253

$30.11 MX$528

123.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.8 SAR 318

$52.0 MX$912

63.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.89 SAR 131

$18.53 MX$325

88.29%

Cinema Ticket

$18.68 SAR 70.1

$4.98 MX$87.3

275.10%

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

$399 SAR 1,500

$197 MX$3,463

102.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,631 SAR 17.4K

$5,336 MX$93.6K

-13.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.32 SAR 83.8

$35.60 MX$624

-37.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.5 SAR 239

$40.33 MX$707

57.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.2 SAR 222

$78.8 MX$1,381

-24.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.3 SAR 192

$88.9 MX$1,560

-42.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$226 SAR 849

$947 MX$16.6K

-76.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$290 SAR 1,090

$474 MX$8,314

-38.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 SAR 2,576

$1,644 MX$28.8K

-58.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,041 SAR 3,909

$1,211 MX$21.2K

-14.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,389 SAR 24.0K

$4,056 MX$71.1K

57.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 SAR 8,656

$6,470 MX$113.5K

-64.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,089 SAR 4,088

$654 MX$11.5K

66.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

11.42

-51.84%

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

Last update for Mecca: July 14, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $226 in Mecca and $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 66% 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 Mecca vs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $208 vs $249 per month, with Mecca 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

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

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 66% higher in Mecca, 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: $226 in Mecca versus $947 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,041 per month in Mecca versus $1,256 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 Mecca runs roughly 53% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,041 in Mecca versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Playa del Carmen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mecca 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 Mecca 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.