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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,270 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,137 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,965 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,017 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,660 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen is about 1% cheaper than Al Mubarraz, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al Mubarraz are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al Mubarraz 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 MX$209

$7.48 SAR 28.08

60.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.78 MX$728

$37.94 SAR 142

10.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.75 MX$187

$7.12 SAR 26.72

50.98%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 SAR 6.44

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 SAR 8.18

Cappuccino

$3.50 MX$60.9

$4.00 SAR 15.03

-12.50%

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

$1.45 MX$25.22

$0.66 SAR 2.47

119.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.88 MX$15.41

$0.19 SAR 0.72

363.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 MX$51.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MX$78.6

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 MX$24.94

$1.68 SAR 6.29

-14.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 MX$31.99

$1.26 SAR 4.73

46.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.31

$2.43 SAR 9.11

-35.39%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.74

$2.65 SAR 9.93

-5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 MX$144

$8.36 SAR 31.38

-0.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 MX$147

$10.16 SAR 38.15

-17.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.68 MX$186

$14.49 SAR 54.4

-26.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 MX$45.43

$2.31 SAR 8.69

12.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.04

$1.67 SAR 6.28

-13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 MX$34.16

$1.86 SAR 6.99

5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.09 MX$36.47

$1.55 SAR 5.80

34.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$32.24

$1.28 SAR 4.80

44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 MX$37.74

$1.51 SAR 5.67

43.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 MX$17.96

$1.44 SAR 5.42

-28.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.70

$0.53 SAR 1.97

101.89%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.79 SAR 10.48

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 SAR 6.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 SAR 9.13

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 MX$71.4

$7.52 SAR 28.24

-45.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.17 MX$177

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 MX$29.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 MX$43.98

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.87

$1.09 SAR 4.08

-53.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.04 MX$453

$40.33 SAR 151

-35.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.3

$3.29 SAR 12.37

-1.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.41 MX$41.88

$1.91 SAR 7.19

26.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$13.45 SAR 50.5

-75.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$23.00

$0.54 SAR 2.04

144.44%

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

$29.7K MX$517.1K

$19.8K SAR 74.4K

49.84%

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

$23.7K MX$412.0K

$23.6K SAR 88.5K

0.41%

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

$82.0 MX$1,428

$104 SAR 392

-21.51%

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

$22.95 MX$400

$35.57 SAR 134

-35.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.11 MX$524

$75.3 SAR 283

-60.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.0 MX$905

$87.7 SAR 329

-40.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.53 MX$323

$35.03 SAR 132

-47.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.98 MX$86.6

$15.69 SAR 58.9

-68.26%

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

$197 MX$3,438

$452 SAR 1,697

-56.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,336 MX$92.9K

$9,474 SAR 35.6K

-43.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.60 MX$620

$59.6 SAR 224

-40.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 MX$702

$63.5 SAR 238

-36.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 MX$1,371

$107 SAR 401

-26.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.9 MX$1,549

$99.6 SAR 374

-10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$947 MX$16.5K

$438 SAR 1,644

116.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 MX$8,254

$381 SAR 1,429

24.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,644 MX$28.6K

$848 SAR 3,184

93.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,211 MX$21.1K

$632 SAR 2,375

91.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,056 MX$70.6K

$2,117 SAR 7,947

91.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,470 MX$112.7K

$1,437 SAR 5,397

350.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$654 MX$11.4K

$1,073 SAR 4,027

-39.03%

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 13, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $947 in Playa del Carmen versus $438 in Al Mubarraz. 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 64% higher in Al Mubarraz, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $38.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $225 – making Al Mubarraz the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mubarraz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,256 in Playa del Carmen, $1,270 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 1% apart. Al Mubarraz costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,905 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Playa del Carmen, 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 $452 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Al Mubarraz – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,256, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,270. In Playa del Carmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Al Mubarraz it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Playa del Carmen has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,256 in Playa del Carmen to $1,270 in Al Mubarraz. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Playa del Carmen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Al Mubarraz makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.