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: $1,287 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,184 in Playa del Carmen versus $1,905 in Ad Dammam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,082 in Playa del Carmen versus $2,574 in Ad Dammam.

Living in Playa del Carmen is roughly 4% more expensive than Ad Dammam, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Playa del Carmen 4% lower, Ad Dammam 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.94 MX$209

$7.31 SAR 27.41

63.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.75 MX$748

$53.9 SAR 202

-20.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.59 MX$185

$8.13 SAR 30.50

30.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.86 SAR 6.97

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 SAR 6.91

Cappuccino

$3.62 MX$63.4

$3.67 SAR 13.78

-1.36%

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

$1.47 MX$25.69

$0.84 SAR 3.15

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 MX$16.51

$0.37 SAR 1.39

154.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.09 MX$54.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 MX$78.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.72 SAR 6.45

-16.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.97

$1.47 SAR 5.50

27.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.63 MX$28.50

$2.11 SAR 7.91

-22.75%

Eggs

$2.64 MX$46.26

$2.29 SAR 8.58

15.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 MX$144

$6.28 SAR 23.54

30.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.29 MX$145

$7.43 SAR 27.85

11.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 MX$194

$10.11 SAR 37.91

9.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.65 MX$46.40

$2.21 SAR 8.27

19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$26.26

$1.48 SAR 5.57

1.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.79

$1.45 SAR 5.43

37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.33

$1.67 SAR 6.25

24.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 MX$31.29

$1.28 SAR 4.82

39.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 MX$38.09

$1.33 SAR 4.98

63.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 MX$18.84

$1.30 SAR 4.88

-16.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 MX$18.15

$0.59 SAR 2.22

76.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.24 SAR 15.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 SAR 5.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 SAR 7.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$69.5

$8.04 SAR 30.17

-50.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.20 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 MX$43.71

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.52 MX$9.07

$0.89 SAR 3.33

-41.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.97 MX$472

$39.57 SAR 148

-31.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 MX$55.0

$3.31 SAR 12.42

-5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$42.04

$2.73 SAR 10.22

-12.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 MX$54.0

$13.14 SAR 49.27

-76.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.28

$0.64 SAR 2.40

98.44%

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

$30.9K MX$540.4K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

35.77%

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

$23.3K MX$408.0K

$20.9K SAR 78.2K

11.80%

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

$82.0 MX$1,435

$117 SAR 438

-29.83%

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

$22.45 MX$393

$38.51 SAR 144

-41.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.66 MX$519

$63.3 SAR 237

-53.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.9 MX$908

$69.6 SAR 261

-25.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.67 MX$327

$30.63 SAR 115

-39.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.97 MX$87.0

$15.02 SAR 56.3

-66.91%

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

$198 MX$3,462

$425 SAR 1,592

-53.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,273 MX$92.3K

$8,339 SAR 31.3K

-36.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.34 MX$636

$67.0 SAR 251

-45.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.05 MX$701

$66.0 SAR 248

-39.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 MX$1,398

$92.6 SAR 347

-13.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,555

$87.2 SAR 327

1.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 MX$16.9K

$445 SAR 1,670

116.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 MX$8,133

$377 SAR 1,414

23.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 MX$27.9K

$799 SAR 2,997

99.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 MX$21.2K

$640 SAR 2,398

89.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,942 MX$69.0K

$894 SAR 3,352

340.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,448 MX$112.8K

$778 SAR 2,917

728.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 MX$12.6K

$1,974 SAR 7,403

-63.51%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Ad Dammam: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Playa del Carmen and $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ad Dammam pays 174% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $43.00 in Playa del Carmen vs $54.0 in Ad Dammam. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $189, 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 4% 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, Ad Dammam earns 174% less. 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: $963 in Playa del Carmen versus $445 in Ad Dammam. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,287 per month in Playa del Carmen versus $1,237 in Ad Dammam – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ad Dammam runs roughly 47% less than in Playa del Carmen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,237 in Ad Dammam versus $1,287 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 $1,237 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 4% less than in Playa del Carmen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.