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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,184 per month in Najran vs $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,826 per month in Najran vs $2,279 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,468 per month in Najran vs $3,292 in Playa del Carmen, rent included.

Najran is about 6% cheaper than Playa del Carmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Najran and Playa del Carmen are more affordable than the global median – Najran 13% lower, Playa del Carmen 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$8.10 SAR 30.42
$11.60 MX$200
-30.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.98 SAR 139
$47.11 MX$811
-21.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.57 SAR 32.21
$11.88 MX$205
-27.86%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.76 SAR 6.62
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 SAR 5.12
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.28 SAR 16.08
$3.98 MX$68.5
7.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 SAR 2.92
$1.43 MX$24.57
-45.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 SAR 1.11
$0.82 MX$14.20
-63.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.19 MX$54.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$6.79 MX$117
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.61 SAR 9.79
$1.68 MX$28.85
55.36%
White Bread (500g)
$1.16 SAR 4.36
$2.20 MX$37.83
-47.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.14 SAR 8.03
$1.71 MX$29.41
25.15%
Eggs
$2.42 SAR 9.09
$2.74 MX$47.20
-11.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.44 SAR 27.95
$9.58 MX$165
-22.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.08 SAR 22.83
$9.01 MX$155
-32.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.38 SAR 54.0
$12.81 MX$221
12.26%
Apples (1kg)
$2.07 SAR 7.79
$2.89 MX$49.74
-28.37%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 SAR 6.32
$1.50 MX$25.78
12.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.61 SAR 6.04
$2.15 MX$36.98
-25.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.66 SAR 6.25
$2.26 MX$38.91
-26.55%
Potato (1kg)
$1.13 SAR 4.24
$1.98 MX$34.10
-42.93%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 SAR 4.93
$1.99 MX$34.26
-34.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 SAR 5.14
$1.23 MX$21.25
11.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.64 SAR 2.40
$1.20 MX$20.60
-46.67%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.73 SAR 10.24
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.62 SAR 6.07
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 SAR 8.05
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$6.70 SAR 25.16
$4.55 MX$78.3
47.25%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.37 MX$179
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.62 MX$27.88
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.88 MX$49.60
-
🚌 Getting Around
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.04 SAR 3.91
$0.60 MX$10.34
73.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.42 SAR 137
$28.80 MX$496
26.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.00 SAR 11.27
$5.39 MX$92.8
-44.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.75 SAR 6.58
$3.73 MX$64.2
-53.08%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.41 SAR 50.4
$5.77 MX$99.3
132.41%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.50 SAR 1.86
$1.54 MX$26.45
-67.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$45.4K SAR 170.7K
$22.5K MX$388.3K
101.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.5K SAR 80.8K
$26.1K MX$448.7K
-17.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.8 SAR 375
$91.4 MX$1,573
9.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.08 SAR 120
$25.20 MX$434
27.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.0 SAR 252
$31.24 MX$538
114.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$83.9 SAR 315
$67.2 MX$1,157
24.90%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$37.65 SAR 141
$29.11 MX$501
29.34%
Cinema Ticket
$13.52 SAR 50.8
$4.86 MX$83.7
178.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$346 SAR 1,298
$224 MX$3,851
54.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,731 SAR 25.3K
$4,229 MX$72.8K
59.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.0 SAR 188
$47.10 MX$811
6.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$57.2 SAR 215
$44.29 MX$763
29.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 SAR 363
$80.1 MX$1,379
20.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0 SAR 338
$92.7 MX$1,596
-2.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$585 SAR 2,196
$1,063 MX$18.3K
-44.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$345 SAR 1,294
$390 MX$6,719
-11.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$894 SAR 3,359
$2,149 MX$37.0K
-58.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$551 SAR 2,070
$1,272 MX$21.9K
-56.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,403 SAR 9,025
$4,001 MX$68.9K
-39.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,387 SAR 5,209
$6,502 MX$112.0K
-78.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Najran
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,703 SAR 6,398
$758 MX$13.1K
124.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.47
11.45
-52.23%

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

Last update for Najran: September 13, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $585 in Najran versus $1,063 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 run about 125% higher in Najran, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Najran versus $47.00 in Playa del Carmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $276 – making Najran the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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?
Playa del Carmen costs about 7% more than Najran, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $1,776 per month in Najran and $1,899 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How expensive is transport in Najran compared to Playa del Carmen?
Public transport costs about 26% less in Najran. 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 $346 per month in Najran and $224 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 $1,000/month in Najran or in Playa del Carmen?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Najran, where all-in costs run around $1,184, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Najran it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Najran or Playa del Carmen?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Najran costs $1,184 versus $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Najran compared to Playa del Carmen?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Najran or to Playa del Carmen?
If budget matters most, go with Najran. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Playa del Carmen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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