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: $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,917 in Mecca versus $2,181 in Playa del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,769 in Mecca versus $3,065 in Playa del Carmen.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Mecca 21% lower, Playa del Carmen 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.89 SAR 18.34

$11.73 MX$203

-58.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.53 SAR 148

$41.62 MX$720

-5.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.39 SAR 35.23

$10.64 MX$184

-11.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.00

Cappuccino

$3.16 SAR 11.87

$3.52 MX$60.9

-10.23%

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

$0.87 SAR 3.25

$1.51 MX$26.12

-42.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 SAR 1.07

$0.97 MX$16.84

-70.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 SAR 6.16

$1.38 MX$23.93

18.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.89 SAR 3.34

$1.89 MX$32.72

-52.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 SAR 8.41

$1.64 MX$28.32

36.59%

Eggs

$2.98 SAR 11.19

$2.51 MX$43.34

18.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.04 SAR 26.43

$8.34 MX$144

-15.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.39 SAR 31.48

$8.34 MX$144

0.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 SAR 50.2

$10.73 MX$186

24.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 SAR 8.69

$2.60 MX$45.04

-11.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 SAR 6.06

$1.46 MX$25.20

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

$1.90 MX$32.87

-6.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.04 SAR 7.66

$2.08 MX$35.91

-1.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.26 SAR 4.73

$1.78 MX$30.71

-29.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 SAR 4.67

$2.19 MX$37.80

-43.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 SAR 3.96

$1.04 MX$17.99

1.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 SAR 2.56

$1.08 MX$18.62

-37.04%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.01 SAR 30.06

$4.08 MX$70.6

96.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 SAR 4.92

$0.51 MX$8.81

156.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.59 SAR 152

$26.46 MX$458

53.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 SAR 9.14

$3.26 MX$56.4

-25.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 SAR 6.89

$2.49 MX$43.09

-26.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.59 SAR 39.74

$3.25 MX$56.2

225.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.60 SAR 2.26

$1.31 MX$22.61

-54.20%

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

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

$30.3K MX$523.7K

-11.63%

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

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

$23.4K MX$405.3K

-8.48%

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

$77.7 SAR 291

$82.9 MX$1,433

-6.30%

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

$35.25 SAR 132

$22.22 MX$384

58.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 SAR 247

$29.34 MX$507

124.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$87.6 SAR 329

$51.6 MX$893

69.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.97 SAR 131

$18.32 MX$317

90.88%

Cinema Ticket

$18.59 SAR 69.8

$5.07 MX$87.6

266.67%

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

$404 SAR 1,517

$201 MX$3,473

101.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

$5,212 MX$90.1K

-11.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.51 SAR 84.5

$36.92 MX$639

-39.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.5 SAR 235

$39.79 MX$688

57.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 SAR 221

$78.5 MX$1,357

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.1 SAR 192

$87.1 MX$1,506

-41.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 SAR 867

$973 MX$16.8K

-76.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$282 SAR 1,058

$468 MX$8,090

-39.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$669 SAR 2,509

$1,641 MX$28.4K

-59.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,026 SAR 3,851

$1,221 MX$21.1K

-15.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

$3,946 MX$68.3K

65.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 SAR 8,399

$6,498 MX$112.4K

-65.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,075 SAR 4,034

$664 MX$11.5K

61.90%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Mecca and $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 62% 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 $207 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Mecca pays 62% 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: $231 in Mecca versus $973 in Playa del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,065 per month in Mecca versus $1,297 in Playa del Carmen – a 22% 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 $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,297 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 22% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.