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 $1,260 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,221 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,125 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,927 in Al Majma'ah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,990 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,633 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

$11.72 MX$203

$7.92 SAR 29.75

47.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.89 MX$725

$53.0 SAR 199

-20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.51 MX$182

$7.79 SAR 29.24

34.92%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 SAR 8.70

Cappuccino

$3.59 MX$62.0

$4.05 SAR 15.22

-11.36%

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

$1.51 MX$26.10

$0.77 SAR 2.90

96.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.92 MX$15.83

$0.29 SAR 1.07

217.24%

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

$1.43 SAR 5.38

-2.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 MX$32.60

$0.66 SAR 2.48

184.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.97

$2.27 SAR 8.53

-31.28%

Eggs

$2.61 MX$45.14

$2.29 SAR 8.58

13.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.32 MX$144

$8.66 SAR 32.51

-3.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.35 MX$145

$6.62 SAR 24.88

26.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.86 MX$188

$11.58 SAR 43.50

-6.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.71 MX$46.93

$2.21 SAR 8.30

22.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 MX$26.04

$1.74 SAR 6.52

-13.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.41

$1.50 SAR 5.63

24.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.89

$1.59 SAR 5.96

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 MX$32.14

$0.69 SAR 2.58

169.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 MX$38.59

$0.97 SAR 3.63

129.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 MX$18.48

$1.45 SAR 5.43

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.79

$0.52 SAR 1.97

109.62%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.80 SAR 10.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 SAR 6.48

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.12

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 MX$72.4

$7.46 SAR 28.00

-43.83%

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

$1.08 SAR 4.06

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.16 MX$453

$40.59 SAR 152

-35.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 MX$53.3

$3.28 SAR 12.32

-6.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.61

$1.90 SAR 7.13

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.13 MX$54.1

$13.29 SAR 49.91

-76.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.69

$0.64 SAR 2.39

104.69%

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

$29.8K MX$515.7K

$35.1K SAR 131.9K

-15.14%

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

$23.3K MX$403.5K

$23.7K SAR 89.1K

-1.66%

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

$81.3 MX$1,406

$103 SAR 386

-20.90%

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

$22.56 MX$390

$34.75 SAR 130

-35.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.05 MX$520

$74.9 SAR 281

-59.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.9 MX$915

$86.4 SAR 325

-38.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.39 MX$318

$35.51 SAR 133

-48.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.92 MX$85.1

$15.93 SAR 59.8

-69.11%

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

$201 MX$3,474

$460 SAR 1,728

-56.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,175 MX$89.5K

$9,463 SAR 35.5K

-45.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.92 MX$622

$59.3 SAR 223

-39.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$694

$63.7 SAR 239

-37.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 MX$1,379

$108 SAR 406

-26.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 MX$1,496

$97.6 SAR 367

-11.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$978 MX$16.9K

$439 SAR 1,649

122.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 MX$8,140

$374 SAR 1,404

25.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,651 MX$28.6K

$867 SAR 3,255

90.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 MX$20.8K

$614 SAR 2,307

95.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,953 MX$68.4K

$2,503 SAR 9,398

57.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,607 MX$114.3K

$1,378 SAR 5,174

379.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 MX$11.7K

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Al Majma'ah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $978 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $53.0 in Al Majma'ah. Groceries tell a different story – $252 in Playa del Carmen vs $184 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 $1,890 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,832 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $460 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 36% 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 $1,221, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,260. 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 $1,221 versus $1,260 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.