Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ad Dammam Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Ad Dammam

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,260 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,125 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,860 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,990 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,524 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 5% more expensive than in Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Ad Dammam 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.72 MX$203

$7.29 SAR 27.37

60.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$53.7 SAR 202

-21.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$8.03 SAR 30.16

30.88%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 SAR 6.83

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 SAR 7.14

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$3.73 SAR 14.00

-3.75%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.92 SAR 3.44

64.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.35 SAR 1.30

162.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 MX$51.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 MX$76.3

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 MX$24.16

$1.63 SAR 6.13

-14.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$1.46 SAR 5.49

28.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.09 SAR 7.86

-25.36%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.27 SAR 8.53

14.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$6.12 SAR 22.97

35.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$7.25 SAR 27.23

15.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$9.70 SAR 36.42

11.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.12 SAR 7.95

27.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.49 SAR 5.61

1.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.40 SAR 5.24

33.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.59 SAR 5.98

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$1.28 SAR 4.82

45.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$1.32 SAR 4.97

68.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.36 SAR 5.12

-21.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.59 SAR 2.21

84.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.13 SAR 15.50

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 SAR 5.85

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 SAR 7.22

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.76 SAR 29.13

-46.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.43 MX$180

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 MX$28.68

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$45.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.37

$0.95 SAR 3.57

-43.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$39.54 SAR 148

-33.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.38 SAR 12.70

-8.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$2.62 SAR 9.86

-8.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.54 SAR 50.8

-76.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.60 SAR 2.25

118.33%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$23.0K SAR 86.3K

29.65%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$21.1K SAR 79.1K

10.71%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$115 SAR 432

-29.32%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$38.60 SAR 145

-41.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$63.5 SAR 239

-52.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$70.5 SAR 265

-24.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$31.26 SAR 117

-41.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.06 SAR 56.6

-67.33%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$415 SAR 1,558

-51.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$8,157 SAR 30.6K

-36.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$68.6 SAR 258

-47.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$66.7 SAR 250

-39.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$92.6 SAR 348

-13.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$85.7 SAR 322

0.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$447 SAR 1,677

118.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$378 SAR 1,421

24.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$805 SAR 3,021

105.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$626 SAR 2,350

92.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$1,353 SAR 5,082

192.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$816 SAR 3,063

710.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

$1,510 SAR 5,669

-55.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.33

163.74%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $978 in Playa del Carmen and $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 123% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $42.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $252 vs $184, with Ad Dammam cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ad Dammam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ad Dammam wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Playa del Carmen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ad Dammam the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 123% lower in Ad Dammam. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $447 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,196 in Ad Dammam – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 51% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,196 in Ad Dammam versus $1,260 in Playa del Carmen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ad Dammam but tight or insufficient in Playa del Carmen. The gap between the two cities makes Ad Dammam the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ad Dammam delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,196 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ad Dammam hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Playa del Carmen and Ad Dammam 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 Ad Dammam gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.