Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Majma'ah Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al Majma'ah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,271 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,236 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,126 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,904 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,980 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,571 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Al Majma'ah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Majma'ah are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 5% lower, Al Majma'ah 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 MX$204

$7.90 SAR 29.65

50.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.90 MX$736

$53.9 SAR 202

-20.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.65 MX$183

$8.18 SAR 30.69

30.20%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 SAR 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.31 SAR 8.66

Cappuccino

$3.45 MX$59.2

$4.10 SAR 15.38

-15.85%

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

$1.50 MX$25.81

$0.73 SAR 2.74

105.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.28

$0.31 SAR 1.18

206.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 MX$51.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 MX$79.1

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 MX$23.61

$1.44 SAR 5.41

-4.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 MX$31.70

$0.66 SAR 2.49

180.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$27.65

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-29.69%

Eggs

$2.59 MX$44.51

$2.26 SAR 8.49

14.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$142

$8.22 SAR 30.83

0.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.37 MX$144

$6.36 SAR 23.86

31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.66 MX$183

$11.92 SAR 44.72

-10.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.12

$2.27 SAR 8.52

15.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.49 MX$25.53

$1.67 SAR 6.27

-10.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.92 MX$32.94

$1.49 SAR 5.60

28.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$35.81

$1.54 SAR 5.79

35.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$31.88

$0.64 SAR 2.40

190.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.81

$0.90 SAR 3.37

151.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.23

$1.46 SAR 5.47

-27.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.67

$0.56 SAR 2.09

94.64%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.02

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$71.2

$7.50 SAR 28.16

-44.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.39 MX$178

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 MX$29.59

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.61 MX$44.85

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.54 MX$9.30

$1.04 SAR 3.92

-48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.94 MX$462

$40.18 SAR 151

-32.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$53.7

$3.29 SAR 12.34

-4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 MX$43.09

$1.85 SAR 6.93

35.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 MX$54.1

$13.21 SAR 49.56

-76.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$21.88

$0.59 SAR 2.22

115.25%

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

$30.4K MX$521.3K

$35.3K SAR 132.3K

-13.86%

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

$23.6K MX$404.5K

$23.7K SAR 88.8K

-0.40%

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

$83.0 MX$1,425

$104 SAR 389

-20.02%

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

$22.71 MX$390

$35.28 SAR 132

-35.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.46 MX$506

$74.6 SAR 280

-60.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 MX$875

$88.7 SAR 333

-42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.33 MX$315

$36.04 SAR 135

-49.14%

Cinema Ticket

$4.93 MX$84.5

$16.28 SAR 61.1

-69.72%

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

$197 MX$3,386

$456 SAR 1,711

-56.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,280 MX$90.6K

$9,643 SAR 36.2K

-45.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.90 MX$633

$59.2 SAR 222

-37.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.89 MX$685

$63.4 SAR 238

-37.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 MX$1,373

$106 SAR 399

-24.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 MX$1,536

$99.8 SAR 374

-10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$956 MX$16.4K

$433 SAR 1,624

120.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$477 MX$8,189

$374 SAR 1,402

27.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 MX$28.3K

$856 SAR 3,212

92.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 MX$21.0K

$631 SAR 2,369

94.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,918 MX$67.2K

$2,384 SAR 8,945

64.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,459 MX$110.9K

$1,322 SAR 4,959

388.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$667 MX$11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

5.31

115.07%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: June 7, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $956 in Playa del Carmen versus $433 in Al Majma'ah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $43.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $54.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $250 in Playa del Carmen vs $183 in Al Majma'ah – so Al Majma'ah 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 Majma'ah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Playa del Carmen costs about 3% more than Al Majma'ah, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,906 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,854 in Al Majma'ah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $197 per month in Playa del Carmen and $456 in Al Majma'ah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Majma'ah, where all-in costs run around $1,236, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,271. In Al Majma'ah 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. Al Majma'ah costs $1,236 versus $1,271 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 Al Majma'ah. 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.