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 $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,050 in Abha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,749 in Abha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,448 in Abha, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 23% 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 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$5.23 SAR 19.65

123.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$789

$50.0 SAR 188

-6.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$7.26 SAR 27.26

60.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.29 SAR 4.85

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.3

$3.11 SAR 11.67

31.51%

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

$1.37 MX$23.28

$0.62 SAR 2.35

120.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.12

$0.24 SAR 0.90

245.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.26

$1.63 SAR 6.11

6.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.29

$0.60 SAR 2.25

276.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.98

$1.95 SAR 7.33

-9.23%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.29

$3.07 SAR 11.54

-11.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$156

$4.45 SAR 16.71

106.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.49 SAR 28.12

19.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$214

$18.41 SAR 69.1

-31.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.2

$1.99 SAR 7.49

51.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.61

$1.99 SAR 7.46

-21.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$36.01

$1.61 SAR 6.05

32.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.36

$1.63 SAR 6.13

38.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.95

$2.19 SAR 8.21

-8.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.98

$1.27 SAR 4.75

62.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.99

$0.36 SAR 1.37

227.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.40

$0.51 SAR 1.90

135.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.48 SAR 16.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 SAR 4.37

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 SAR 5.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.5

$9.47 SAR 35.57

-51.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.44

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.81

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.71

$0.79 SAR 2.98

-27.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$505

$35.84 SAR 135

-16.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.3

$2.83 SAR 10.63

92.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.8

$2.64 SAR 9.91

40.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-55.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.32

$0.60 SAR 2.24

158.33%

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

$22.3K MX$378.3K

$46.1K SAR 173.1K

-51.57%

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

$25.9K MX$439.6K

$19.6K SAR 73.5K

32.51%

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

$89.1 MX$1,510

$86.7 SAR 326

2.79%

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

$25.04 MX$424

$36.59 SAR 137

-31.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$534

$76.9 SAR 289

-59.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,148

$89.5 SAR 336

-24.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$490

$44.06 SAR 165

-34.36%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.6

$15.63 SAR 58.7

-67.69%

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

$225 MX$3,811

$207 SAR 779

8.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.5K

$4,118 SAR 15.5K

2.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$804

$30.92 SAR 116

53.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$762

$72.0 SAR 270

-37.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,389

$95.1 SAR 357

-13.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,560

$67.3 SAR 253

36.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$307 SAR 1,153

248.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,867

$249 SAR 933

63.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.8K

$538 SAR 2,021

259.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$566 SAR 2,124

130.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.7K

$913 SAR 3,427

337.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.3K

$1,346 SAR 5,056

392.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

$2,217 SAR 8,326

-66.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

90.83%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Abha: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $307 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 196% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $50.0 in Abha. Groceries tell a different story – $277 in Playa del Carmen vs $202 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 23% 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 $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,576 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 37% 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen and $50.0 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 $1,050, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. 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 $1,050 versus $1,293 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.