Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Hufuf Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Hufuf

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,042 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,615 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,187 in Al Hufuf, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 24% more than Al Hufuf, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Hufuf are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 3% lower, Al Hufuf 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.75 SAR 25.35

73.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$48.64 SAR 183

-14.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.88 SAR 29.58

35.03%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SAR 6.18

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.00 SAR 15.02

-12.00%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.64 SAR 2.40

135.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.22 SAR 0.83

340.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 MX$77.0

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.93

$1.56 SAR 5.84

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.02 SAR 3.81

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.26 SAR 8.50

-27.43%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$1.98 SAR 7.42

26.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$5.59 SAR 20.98

49.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.55 SAR 24.58

27.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.58 SAR 51.0

-20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$1.66 SAR 6.24

56.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.62 SAR 6.08

-9.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.37 SAR 5.13

38.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.12 SAR 4.20

85.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$0.94 SAR 3.54

89.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.00 SAR 3.75

119.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.35 SAR 5.07

-22.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.55 SAR 2.07

96.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.88 SAR 10.81

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 SAR 6.46

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 SAR 4.28

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$6.23 SAR 23.38

-34.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 MX$29.61

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.58 MX$44.54

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.81

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-51.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$39.61 SAR 149

-33.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.70 SAR 10.12

20.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.88 SAR 7.06

32.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.15 SAR 49.35

-75.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.64 SAR 2.40

104.69%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$35.3K SAR 132.4K

-14.16%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$23.4K SAR 88.0K

-0.03%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$80.8 SAR 303

2.61%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$31.12 SAR 117

-28.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$76.8 SAR 288

-61.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$142 SAR 534

-63.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$33.20 SAR 125

-44.82%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$13.08 SAR 49.09

-61.24%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$295 SAR 1,108

-31.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$4,132 SAR 15.5K

26.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$12.44 SAR 46.67

196.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$16.13 SAR 60.5

146.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$41.33 SAR 155

89.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$33.74 SAR 127

158.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$355 SAR 1,331

174.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$266 SAR 997

76.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$729 SAR 2,735

125.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$403 SAR 1,512

203.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,353 SAR 8,830

67.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,315 SAR 4,937

393.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,935 SAR 7,263

-65.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

2.5

356.80%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 2, 2026

Last update for Al Hufuf: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $355 in Al Hufuf. 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 191% higher in Al Hufuf, 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 $49.00 in Al Hufuf. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $179 in Al Hufuf – so Al Hufuf 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 Al Hufuf: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Playa del Carmen is pricier by about 24%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,563 in Al Hufuf. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $49.00 in Al Hufuf. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,297 in Playa del Carmen and $1,042 in Al Hufuf. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Al Hufuf, where all-in costs run around $1,042, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. In Al Hufuf it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Al Hufuf – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Al Hufuf. 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.