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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,301 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,968 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,635 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen and Al Mubarraz have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$7.48 SAR 28.08

56.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$39.01 SAR 146

6.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.10 SAR 26.64

49.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 SAR 8.14

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$4.12 SAR 15.47

-14.56%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.64 SAR 2.39

135.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.17 SAR 0.65

470.59%

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

$1.69 SAR 6.34

-18.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$1.33 SAR 4.97

42.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.39 SAR 8.98

-31.38%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.61 SAR 9.81

-3.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$8.63 SAR 32.40

-3.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$10.14 SAR 38.05

-17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$14.87 SAR 55.8

-27.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.24 SAR 8.43

16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.74 SAR 6.54

-16.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.79 SAR 6.73

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.55 SAR 5.82

34.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.24 SAR 4.64

43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.45 SAR 5.44

51.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.41 SAR 5.28

-26.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.53 SAR 1.98

103.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.81 SAR 10.53

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 SAR 6.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 SAR 9.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.44 SAR 27.92

-45.16%

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

$1.09 SAR 4.07

-53.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.01 SAR 150

-33.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$3.25 SAR 12.20

0.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.85 SAR 6.95

34.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.56 SAR 50.9

-76.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.54 SAR 2.01

142.59%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$19.9K SAR 74.7K

52.07%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$23.5K SAR 88.0K

-0.11%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$105 SAR 395

-21.29%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$35.26 SAR 132

-36.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$75.4 SAR 283

-61.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$89.1 SAR 334

-42.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.02 SAR 131

-47.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.68 SAR 58.9

-67.67%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$464 SAR 1,742

-56.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$9,567 SAR 35.9K

-45.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$59.4 SAR 223

-37.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$65.1 SAR 244

-38.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$107 SAR 402

-26.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$98.6 SAR 370

-11.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$439 SAR 1,649

121.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$374 SAR 1,404

25.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$843 SAR 3,163

94.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$611 SAR 2,295

99.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,358 SAR 8,850

67.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,336 SAR 5,012

386.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

$1,047 SAR 3,930

-36.59%

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 2, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $439 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 58% higher in Al Mubarraz. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $249 vs $227 – 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,952 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Playa del Carmen and $39.00 in Al Mubarraz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 51% less in Playa del Carmen. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Playa del Carmen, where all-in costs run around $1,297, than in Al Mubarraz at $1,301. 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 $1,297 in Playa del Carmen to $1,301 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.