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 $1,297 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,197 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,181 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $1,832 in Al-Ula, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,065 per month in Playa del Carmen vs $2,467 in Al-Ula, rent included.

Playa del Carmen costs about 8% 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 3% lower, Al-Ula 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.73 MX$203

$6.71 SAR 25.18

74.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.62 MX$720

$44.97 SAR 169

-7.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.64 MX$184

$7.82 SAR 29.34

36.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.77 SAR 6.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 SAR 6.84

Cappuccino

$3.52 MX$60.9

$3.74 SAR 14.02

-5.88%

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

$1.51 MX$26.12

$0.80 SAR 3.02

88.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.84

$0.29 SAR 1.07

234.48%

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

$1.68 SAR 6.31

-17.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 MX$32.72

$0.95 SAR 3.56

98.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 MX$28.32

$2.31 SAR 8.69

-29.00%

Eggs

$2.51 MX$43.34

$2.40 SAR 9.01

4.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$6.67 SAR 25.02

25.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.34 MX$144

$7.71 SAR 28.94

8.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.73 MX$186

$13.05 SAR 48.97

-17.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$45.04

$2.27 SAR 8.52

14.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.20

$1.59 SAR 5.95

-8.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 MX$32.87

$1.68 SAR 6.30

13.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$35.91

$1.56 SAR 5.85

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.71

$1.24 SAR 4.66

43.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 MX$37.80

$1.27 SAR 4.75

72.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 MX$17.99

$1.23 SAR 4.63

-15.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.62

$0.60 SAR 2.24

80.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.87 SAR 10.78

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 SAR 6.65

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 SAR 7.74

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 MX$70.6

$7.19 SAR 26.98

-43.25%

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

$1.10 SAR 4.12

-53.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.46 MX$458

$40.67 SAR 153

-34.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 MX$56.4

$2.62 SAR 9.82

24.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.49 MX$43.09

$1.89 SAR 7.10

31.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.25 MX$56.2

$13.57 SAR 50.9

-76.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.61

$0.61 SAR 2.29

114.75%

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

$30.3K MX$523.7K

$26.9K SAR 101.1K

12.38%

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

$23.4K MX$405.3K

$22.7K SAR 85.3K

3.10%

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

$82.9 MX$1,433

$103 SAR 388

-19.87%

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

$22.22 MX$384

$33.67 SAR 126

-34.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.34 MX$507

$71.7 SAR 269

-59.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 MX$893

$86.9 SAR 326

-40.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.32 MX$317

$35.90 SAR 135

-48.97%

Cinema Ticket

$5.07 MX$87.6

$15.87 SAR 59.5

-68.05%

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

$201 MX$3,473

$354 SAR 1,330

-43.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,212 MX$90.1K

$6,940 SAR 26.0K

-24.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.92 MX$639

$60.2 SAR 226

-38.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.79 MX$688

$59.2 SAR 222

-32.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 MX$1,357

$78.7 SAR 295

-0.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.1 MX$1,506

$83.3 SAR 313

4.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$973 MX$16.8K

$444 SAR 1,667

118.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$468 MX$8,090

$374 SAR 1,405

24.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,641 MX$28.4K

$863 SAR 3,238

90.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 MX$21.1K

$615 SAR 2,309

98.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,946 MX$68.3K

$2,395 SAR 8,988

64.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,498 MX$112.4K

$1,347 SAR 5,057

382.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$664 MX$11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.42

4.42

158.37%

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-Ula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $973 in Playa del Carmen versus $444 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 $42.00 in Playa del Carmen versus $45.00 in Al-Ula. Groceries tell a different story – $249 in Playa del Carmen vs $197 in Al-Ula – so Al-Ula 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-Ula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,297 in Playa del Carmen, $1,197 in Al-Ula – roughly 8% apart. Playa del Carmen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,945 per month in Playa del Carmen and $1,796 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 $201 per month in Playa del Carmen and $354 in Al-Ula. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $1,197, than in Playa del Carmen at $1,297. 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 $1,197 in Al-Ula to $1,297 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.