Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Ula Cost of Living Comparison Between Playa del Carmen and Al-Ula

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,293 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,169 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,767 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,365 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 11% more than Al-Ula, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Playa del Carmen and Al-Ula are more affordable than the global median – Playa del Carmen 6% lower, Al-Ula 15% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.71 MX$198

$6.84 SAR 25.69

71.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.59 MX$788

$36.74 SAR 138

26.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.65 MX$197

$8.02 SAR 30.10

45.26%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 SAR 7.44

Cappuccino

$4.09 MX$69.2

$3.39 SAR 12.74

20.65%

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

$1.37 MX$23.23

$0.88 SAR 3.30

55.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 MX$14.09

$0.24 SAR 0.90

245.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 MX$56.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.91 MX$117

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 MX$29.20

$1.66 SAR 6.23

4.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 MX$38.21

$1.02 SAR 3.84

121.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.91

$2.22 SAR 8.33

-20.27%

Eggs

$2.73 MX$46.19

$2.35 SAR 8.81

16.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.18 MX$155

$7.41 SAR 27.82

23.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.92 MX$151

$7.80 SAR 29.28

14.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.60 MX$213

$12.87 SAR 48.33

-2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 MX$51.1

$2.15 SAR 8.08

40.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 MX$26.55

$1.68 SAR 6.32

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.13 MX$35.93

$1.59 SAR 5.98

33.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 MX$38.28

$1.67 SAR 6.25

35.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$33.88

$1.15 SAR 4.30

73.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.06 MX$34.90

$1.31 SAR 4.92

57.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 MX$19.94

$1.14 SAR 4.28

3.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 MX$20.35

$0.59 SAR 2.20

103.39%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.86 SAR 10.73

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SAR 6.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 SAR 7.89

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.63 MX$78.4

$6.60 SAR 24.78

-29.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.69 MX$181

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$27.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 MX$48.70

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 MX$9.69

$1.07 SAR 4.02

-46.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.83 MX$504

$36.60 SAR 137

-18.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 MX$92.1

$3.01 SAR 11.29

81.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.70 MX$62.6

$1.85 SAR 6.94

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 MX$101

$13.27 SAR 49.84

-54.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 MX$26.26

$0.60 SAR 2.24

158.33%

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

$22.3K MX$377.4K

$45.6K SAR 171.3K

-51.05%

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

$25.9K MX$438.7K

$21.4K SAR 80.2K

21.52%

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

$89.1 MX$1,507

$102 SAR 382

-12.44%

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

$25.04 MX$423

$32.80 SAR 123

-23.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.50 MX$532

$66.9 SAR 251

-52.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.8 MX$1,146

$83.1 SAR 312

-18.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.92 MX$489

$36.63 SAR 138

-21.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.05 MX$85.4

$13.43 SAR 50.4

-62.40%

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

$225 MX$3,803

$342 SAR 1,284

-34.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,222 MX$71.4K

$6,621 SAR 24.9K

-36.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.44 MX$802

$50.8 SAR 191

-6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.98 MX$760

$59.3 SAR 223

-24.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 MX$1,386

$96.4 SAR 362

-14.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 MX$1,557

$88.7 SAR 333

3.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,069 MX$18.1K

$571 SAR 2,142

87.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 MX$6,852

$346 SAR 1,300

17.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,935 MX$32.7K

$872 SAR 3,273

122.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 MX$22.0K

$553 SAR 2,077

135.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,995 MX$67.5K

$2,347 SAR 8,812

70.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,626 MX$112.0K

$1,379 SAR 5,179

380.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 MX$12.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.45

5.47

109.32%

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

Last update for Playa del Carmen: August 29, 2026

Last update for Al-Ula: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,069 in Playa del Carmen versus $571 in Al-Ula. 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 $47.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $37.00 in Al-Ula. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $277 vs $198 – making Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,293 in Playa del Carmen, $1,169 in Al-Ula – roughly 11% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,753 in Al-Ula. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $225 per month in Playa del Carmen and $342 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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-Ula, where all-in costs run around $1,169, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,293. In Al-Ula 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 $1,169 in Al-Ula to $1,293 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-Ula. 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.