Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Najran and Playa del Carmen

For one person, living is cheaper in Playa del Carmen: $1,202 a month against $1,238 in Najran, rent and utilities included – about $430 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Najran, Saudi Arabia
Playa del Carmen, Mexico
Najran
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
$1,238
/mo nomad
Playa del Carmen
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,202
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Najran and in Playa del Carmen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Najran and in Playa del Carmen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,238 per month in Najran vs $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Najran $1,238
  • Playa del Carmen $1,202

A couple spends around $1,887 per month in Najran vs $2,082 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Najran $1,887
  • Playa del Carmen $2,082

A family of three spends $2,536 per month in Najran vs $2,962 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

  • Najran $2,536
  • Playa del Carmen $2,962

Najran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Najran and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Najran 8% lower, Playa del Carmen 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.99 SAR 30.00
$10.67 MX$199
-25.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.76 SAR 138
$43.80 MX$815
-16.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.12 SAR 34.24
$11.79 MX$219
-22.65%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 SAR 6.30
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 SAR 5.14
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.49 SAR 16.84
$3.79 MX$70.5
18.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 SAR 2.41
$1.30 MX$24.14
-50.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 SAR 1.11
$0.83 MX$15.51
-63.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.15 MX$58.6
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.93 MX$91.8
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.71 SAR 10.17
$1.41 MX$26.22
92.20%
White Bread (500g)
$1.25 SAR 4.69
$2.20 MX$40.86
-43.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.28 SAR 8.55
$1.47 MX$27.40
55.10%
Eggs
$2.41 SAR 9.06
$2.50 MX$46.46
-3.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.51 SAR 28.21
$7.29 MX$136
3.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.91 SAR 29.70
$7.95 MX$148
-0.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.77 SAR 47.91
$12.86 MX$239
-0.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.12 SAR 7.95
$2.90 MX$53.9
-26.90%
Banana (1kg)
$1.67 SAR 6.26
$1.38 MX$25.74
21.01%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.62 SAR 6.09
$2.49 MX$46.35
-34.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.61 SAR 6.03
$2.03 MX$37.77
-20.69%
Potato (1kg)
$1.24 SAR 4.64
$2.02 MX$37.68
-38.61%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 SAR 4.93
$1.90 MX$35.42
-31.05%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.19 SAR 4.48
$1.14 MX$21.30
4.39%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 SAR 2.01
$1.24 MX$23.05
-56.45%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$3.00 SAR 11.25
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 SAR 6.83
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02 SAR 7.59
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.44 SAR 24.19
$4.27 MX$79.5
50.82%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$9.81 MX$183
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.59 MX$29.51
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.75 MX$51.1
-
🚌 Getting Around
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.08 SAR 4.05
$0.51 MX$9.58
111.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$38.45 SAR 144
$27.39 MX$510
40.38%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.63 SAR 9.86
$4.76 MX$88.6
-44.75%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.94 SAR 7.27
$3.25 MX$60.5
-40.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.12 SAR 53.0
$5.39 MX$100
161.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.54 SAR 2.04
$1.53 MX$28.44
-64.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.9K SAR 115.9K
$21.2K MX$394.8K
45.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.0K SAR 86.2K
$23.3K MX$432.9K
-1.26%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$103 SAR 388
$83.5 MX$1,554
23.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.14 SAR 124
$23.19 MX$431
42.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.1 SAR 248
$27.61 MX$514
139.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$77.9 SAR 292
$56.4 MX$1,050
38.05%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$81.0 SAR 304
$28.19 MX$525
187.37%
Cinema Ticket
$13.22 SAR 49.63
$5.00 MX$93.1
164.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$454 SAR 1,703
$207 MX$3,854
119.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.6K SAR 39.6K
$5,231 MX$97.3K
101.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$42.90 SAR 161
$43.45 MX$809
-1.27%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.5 SAR 205
$42.54 MX$792
28.21%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 SAR 363
$72.8 MX$1,354
32.85%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.6 SAR 321
$88.4 MX$1,645
-3.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$544 SAR 2,040
$995 MX$18.5K
-45.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 SAR 1,463
$382 MX$7,116
1.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$937 SAR 3,518
$1,674 MX$31.2K
-44.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$614 SAR 2,306
$1,081 MX$20.1K
-43.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,949 SAR 7,314
$3,909 MX$72.7K
-50.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,268 SAR 4,760
$6,138 MX$114.2K
-79.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,737 SAR 6,519
$832 MX$15.5K
108.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.54
11.45
-51.62%

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

Last update for Najran: October 31, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Najran
$390
Playa del Carmen
$382 1.9% $7.3
Groceries & Markets
Najran
$211
Playa del Carmen
$257 21.8% $46
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Najran
$203
Playa del Carmen
$134 33.7% $68
Eating Out
Najran
$149
Playa del Carmen
$200 34.5% $51
Clothing & Footwear
Najran
$126
Playa del Carmen
$111 11.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Najran
$104
Playa del Carmen
$66 36.3% $38
Getting Around
Najran
$55
Playa del Carmen
$50 8.4% $4.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $544 in Najran versus $995 in Playa del Carmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Najran are about 2.1 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37 in Najran versus $44 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $257 – making Najran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇦 Najran
🇲🇽 Playa del Carmen
🕒 Local time
05:57 5:57 AM
21:57 9:57 PM
8 h behind Najran
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
298,288
149,923
💱 Currency
Saudi Riyal SAR ر.س
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to SAR – Saudi Riyal Converter

Saudi Riyal exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 3.75 SAR (1 SAR = 0.266 USD). 1 EUR = 4.23 SAR (1 SAR = 0.237 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18.61 MXN (100 MXN = 5.37 USD). 1 EUR = 20.95 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Najran Playa del Carmen 13,220 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Najran
  • Playa del Carmen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Najran vs Playa del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Najran or Playa del Carmen?
Najran costs about 3% more than Playa del Carmen, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from utilities. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Najran and in Playa del Carmen?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,857 per month in Najran and $1,804 in Playa del Carmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Najran or Playa del Carmen?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Najran, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $544 there versus $995 in Playa del Carmen.
How expensive is transport in Najran compared to Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 29% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Najran and in Playa del Carmen?
Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Najran and $207 in Playa del Carmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Najran or in Playa del Carmen?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,238 in Najran and $1,202 in Playa del Carmen, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Najran or Playa del Carmen?
It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,202 in Playa del Carmen to $1,238 in Najran. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Should I move to Najran or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Najran makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Najran vs other spots: cost of living compared

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