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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,132 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,887 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,643 in Abha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Abha, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Abha are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Abha 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$5.42 SAR 20.37

121.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$53.8 SAR 202

-22.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.56 SAR 28.39

42.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 SAR 6.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 SAR 5.39

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$3.16 SAR 11.88

10.76%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.58 SAR 2.19

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.23 SAR 0.86

282.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.88 SAR 7.07

-23.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$0.51 SAR 1.93

260.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$1.97 SAR 7.38

-20.30%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.85 SAR 10.69

-11.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$5.84 SAR 21.95

41.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$8.57 SAR 32.19

-1.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$16.77 SAR 63.0

-36.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$1.89 SAR 7.10

38.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.60 SAR 6.02

-10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.46 SAR 5.49

34.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.72 SAR 6.47

21.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.37 SAR 5.14

35.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.22 SAR 4.57

77.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$0.90 SAR 3.36

14.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.58 SAR 2.19

84.48%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.27 SAR 16.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 SAR 5.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 SAR 5.59

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$9.61 SAR 36.07

-57.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$0.84 SAR 3.17

-39.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$39.42 SAR 148

-33.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$2.60 SAR 9.76

24.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$2.73 SAR 10.27

-11.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$13.10 SAR 49.18

-75.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.59 SAR 2.22

123.73%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$24.7K SAR 92.8K

20.21%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$22.6K SAR 85.0K

4.50%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$81.3 SAR 305

0.86%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$36.96 SAR 139

-37.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$54.7 SAR 205

-44.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$122 SAR 456

-57.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$27.45 SAR 103

-32.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$17.86 SAR 67.0

-72.12%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$241 SAR 906

-18.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$5,294 SAR 19.9K

0.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$38.27 SAR 144

-6.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$65.9 SAR 247

-38.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$178 SAR 667

-55.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$88.1 SAR 331

0.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$361 SAR 1,355

162.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$264 SAR 990

79.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$557 SAR 2,091

195.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$622 SAR 2,334

94.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,364 SAR 8,876

71.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,328 SAR 4,986

387.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$2,190 SAR 8,222

-70.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.67

101.41%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 13, 2026

Last update for Abha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $361 in Abha. 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 235% higher in Abha, 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $205 in Abha – so Abha wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Abha, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,698 in Abha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Abha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Playa del Carmen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $54.0 in Abha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Abha, where all-in costs run around $1,132, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,256. In Abha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Abha costs $1,132 versus $1,256 in Playa del Carmen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Abha. 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.