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 $1,266 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,240 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,279 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,880 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,292 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,519 in Al Mubarraz, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 2% more 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 7% lower, Al Mubarraz 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.60 MX$200

$7.62 SAR 28.62

52.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.11 MX$811

$36.77 SAR 138

28.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 MX$205

$8.03 SAR 30.15

47.95%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 SAR 7.71

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.79

Cappuccino

$3.98 MX$68.5

$4.34 SAR 16.29

-8.29%

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

$1.43 MX$24.57

$0.68 SAR 2.56

110.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 MX$14.20

$0.28 SAR 1.06

192.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.19 MX$54.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.85

$1.72 SAR 6.44

-2.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 MX$37.83

$1.31 SAR 4.91

67.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 MX$29.41

$2.34 SAR 8.79

-26.92%

Eggs

$2.74 MX$47.20

$3.20 SAR 12.01

-14.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.58 MX$165

$9.73 SAR 36.56

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 MX$155

$9.65 SAR 36.25

-6.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.81 MX$221

$15.49 SAR 58.2

-17.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.89 MX$49.74

$2.75 SAR 10.32

5.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 MX$25.78

$1.94 SAR 7.27

-22.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.15 MX$36.98

$2.27 SAR 8.51

-5.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.91

$1.74 SAR 6.53

29.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 MX$34.10

$1.19 SAR 4.47

66.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 MX$34.26

$1.37 SAR 5.15

45.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 MX$21.25

$1.66 SAR 6.22

-25.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.60

$0.60 SAR 2.24

100.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.78 SAR 10.44

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 SAR 6.59

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 SAR 9.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 MX$78.3

$7.48 SAR 28.09

-39.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 MX$179

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.88

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$49.60

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.60 MX$10.34

$1.05 SAR 3.94

-42.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.80 MX$496

$36.55 SAR 137

-21.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.39 MX$92.8

$3.28 SAR 12.30

64.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.73 MX$64.2

$1.88 SAR 7.05

98.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.77 MX$99.3

$13.26 SAR 49.82

-56.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 MX$26.45

$0.61 SAR 2.28

152.46%

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

$22.5K MX$388.3K

$36.3K SAR 136.5K

-37.97%

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

$26.1K MX$448.7K

$22.6K SAR 84.8K

15.38%

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

$91.4 MX$1,573

$96.1 SAR 361

-4.87%

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

$25.20 MX$434

$32.18 SAR 121

-21.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.24 MX$538

$70.1 SAR 263

-55.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 MX$1,157

$85.7 SAR 322

-21.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.11 MX$501

$36.68 SAR 138

-20.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.86 MX$83.7

$13.52 SAR 50.8

-64.05%

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

$224 MX$3,851

$551 SAR 2,070

-59.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,229 MX$72.8K

$11.2K SAR 42.2K

-62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.10 MX$811

$58.1 SAR 218

-18.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.29 MX$763

$57.2 SAR 215

-22.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 MX$1,379

$110 SAR 413

-27.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 MX$1,596

$108 SAR 404

-13.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 MX$18.3K

$574 SAR 2,157

85.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 MX$6,719

$347 SAR 1,302

12.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 MX$37.0K

$886 SAR 3,330

142.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 MX$21.9K

$550 SAR 2,066

131.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,001 MX$68.9K

$2,371 SAR 8,904

68.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,502 MX$112.0K

$1,396 SAR 5,243

365.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$758 MX$13.1K

$1,063 SAR 3,992

-28.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.54

106.68%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: September 12, 2026

Last update for Al Mubarraz: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,063 in Playa del Carmen versus $574 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 40% higher in Al Mubarraz, 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Al Mubarraz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $240 – 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: $1,266 in Playa del Carmen, $1,240 in Al Mubarraz – roughly 2% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,899 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,860 in Al Mubarraz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $224 per month in Playa del Carmen and $551 in Al Mubarraz. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Al Mubarraz, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,266. In Al Mubarraz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Playa del Carmen 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 $1,240 in Al Mubarraz to $1,266 in Playa del Carmen. 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 Al Mubarraz. 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.