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: $974 in Mecca versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,454 in Mecca versus $2,334 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,935 in Mecca versus $3,374 in Playa del Carmen.

Living in Mecca costs roughly 25% less than in Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 29% lower, Playa del Carmen 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 SAR 17.38

$11.71 MX$199

-60.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.73 SAR 100

$46.59 MX$791

-42.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.72 SAR 25.23

$11.65 MX$198

-42.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SAR 5.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 SAR 5.72

Cappuccino

$2.62 SAR 9.83

$4.09 MX$69.5

-35.94%

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

$0.67 SAR 2.53

$1.37 MX$23.34

-51.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 SAR 0.86

$0.83 MX$14.16

-72.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 SAR 6.71

$1.73 MX$29.33

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$0.94 SAR 3.51

$2.26 MX$38.39

-58.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 SAR 8.22

$1.77 MX$30.05

23.73%

Eggs

$2.39 SAR 8.98

$2.73 MX$46.41

-12.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.20 SAR 23.27

$9.18 MX$156

-32.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 SAR 31.03

$8.92 MX$151

-7.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 SAR 47.31

$12.60 MX$214

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SAR 7.43

$3.02 MX$51.3

-34.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 SAR 6.27

$1.57 MX$26.68

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

$2.13 MX$36.10

-30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 SAR 6.29

$2.26 MX$38.46

-25.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 SAR 4.32

$2.00 MX$34.04

-42.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 SAR 5.10

$2.06 MX$35.06

-33.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 SAR 3.86

$1.18 MX$20.04

-12.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 SAR 1.89

$1.20 MX$20.45

-58.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.07 SAR 15.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 SAR 6.69

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.66 SAR 25.01

$4.63 MX$78.7

43.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$182

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.93

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 SAR 5.04

$0.57 MX$9.74

135.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$507

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.81 SAR 6.81

$5.45 MX$92.5

-66.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

$3.70 MX$62.9

-52.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.42 SAR 50.4

$5.98 MX$102

124.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.27

$1.55 MX$26.38

-61.29%

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

$47.0K SAR 176.3K

$22.3K MX$379.2K

110.35%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.3K

$25.9K MX$440.7K

-17.64%

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

$75.9 SAR 285

$89.1 MX$1,514

-14.85%

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

$35.20 SAR 132

$25.04 MX$425

40.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.6 SAR 254

$31.50 MX$535

114.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.5 SAR 295

$67.8 MX$1,151

15.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.37 SAR 129

$28.92 MX$491

18.85%

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 SAR 45.37

$5.05 MX$85.8

139.21%

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

$391 SAR 1,467

$225 MX$3,820

73.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,570 SAR 17.2K

$4,222 MX$71.7K

8.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.43 SAR 84.2

$47.44 MX$806

-52.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.6 SAR 220

$44.98 MX$764

30.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.48 SAR 182

$82.0 MX$1,392

-40.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.9 SAR 191

$92.1 MX$1,564

-44.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$576 SAR 2,161

$1,069 MX$18.2K

-46.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$319 SAR 1,198

$405 MX$6,884

-21.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,512 SAR 5,676

$1,935 MX$32.9K

-21.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$507 SAR 1,904

$1,301 MX$22.1K

-61.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,435 SAR 24.2K

$3,995 MX$67.9K

61.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,299 SAR 8,632

$6,626 MX$112.5K

-65.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,082 SAR 4,062

$749 MX$12.7K

44.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

11.45

-54.15%

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

Last update for Mecca: August 30, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $576 in Mecca and $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 44% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Mecca vs $47.00 in Playa del Carmen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $194 vs $277 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, Getting Around. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 44% 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: $576 in Mecca versus $1,069 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Playa del Carmen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $974 per month in Mecca versus $1,293 in Playa del Carmen – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $974 in Mecca versus $1,293 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 33% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.